Group 1

DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE TEST FRIDAY!

The WeddingWhat was Philip’s reasoning behind the Registry Office being made out of only red bricks?
The Land of Nod
How did Philip try to kill Uncle Alan? Who died instead?
The Voice Out of the Wall
“I put my duvet over my head and the voices went away but other things started so I put my head over the duvet and heard Mum say Your whisky” (pg.273). What do you think Philip meant by “other things”
Why does Philip think the town makes noises at night? (pg. 274)

Group 2

This Bastard Town
What were some realizations Philip had during his visit to the brick wall? (regarding his father’s ghost, his father while he was alive, his father’s death. Pgs 277-278)
Spitting to the Grass
Read the last paragraph of this chapter. “I knew from then that there was no one in the world who is who they say they are. You can’t trust anyone. . .” (pg 281). Why is this significant to Philip’s character, especially regarding his father’s ghost?
Ghost Words
Write a quick summary of what happened in this chapter

Group 3

Dead and Gone Dead and Gone
“But I was thinking that the terrors might just be another lie and maybe Dads Ghost wasn’t Dads Ghost at all it might just be the Devil trying to make me do bad things like kill Mr. Fairview because he liked God not the Devil” (pg. 285). Analyze this quote
Mr. Fairview Makes Me Tell the Truth
Who is the newest ghost that Philip sees?
Who did Philip confess about the fire to? What was his reaction?
Someone to See Me
Why was Dane at Philips house?
“And I didn’t know what to do because I didn’t know what was true and what was not true” (pg. 292). Analyze this quote in relation to Philip questioning his sanity and Philip questioning his father’s ghost.

Group 4

The Paper Bird
Where did Philip find Leah
What did Leah cut into her arms?
Philip was yelling at his dad but Leah thought he was yelling at her. What did Philip yell?
Analyze the last paragraph of the chapter (on page 300).
In the White Water
What was the purpose of ending the chapter the way Haig did?

Group 5

Lying on the Mud
Who were the fisherman who found Leah and Philip?
The Second Time I Woke Up
What did his mother show him in the paper?
What are the 6 things Philip defiantly knows? (pg. 316-317)
What did Philip realize about Mrs. Fells father? (pg. 318)
What do you think happened to Uncle Alan?
Why do you think the author ended the book the way he did?

Group 1

All groups please post your answers as a comment to your groups blog. When you're posting answers please specify what question you are answering so it is easier to study from for your test!

The Umbrella Made of StarsWhat does Sleepy Eye Terry take classes for?

Uncle Alan told Philip and his mother a story about Sleepy Eye Terry that made Philip assume he was the one that smashed the pub. What was the story?

The Time Machine
Where did Philip want to go in the time machine?

What did Philip say made his brain heavy? What were some examples Philip gave?

Group 2

The Real Uncle Alan
What was Philips plan to kill Uncle Alan? What happened instead?

Philip describes himself and Uncle Alan by saying, “The Read Uncle Alan inside the pretend Uncle Alan” and “The real Philip inside the pretend Philip” (pg 211-212). What do you think that means?

Pocket Money

“Mrs. Fell always says things like this. She is nice but she doesn’t understand some things. She doesn’t know that time is not like pocket money that you can spend because time is the person spending the pocket money and the pocket money is you” (pg. 215). Analyze this quote

Mrs. Fell asked Philip where he would go if he was able to go anywhere. Where did he say he wanted to go?


We learn a little more about Mrs. Fell’s character. What do we learn?

Why do you think Philip wants to “believe in” Mrs. Fell so badly? (pg. 218)

Group 3

GROUP 3
Emperor Nero and Empero Neros Mum

Describe the story of Nero. What is Nero’s story is similar to Hamlet and to Philip. How are they similar?

When telling the story of Nero Philip said, “Killing is not a stone you throw away it is a boomerang that comes back and gets you in the head” (pg. 221). What do you think Philip meant by this? Is there any irony in Philip saying this?

How does Philip seem to hint that his fate is inevitable? (pg. 222)
The Condom Machine

“It is a bit like kingdom which is a land ruled by kings so a condom must be a land ruled by cons.

A con is a lie” (pg 224). What do you think Philip means when he says this?

Group 4

GROUP 4

Tick Tock Tick Tock
What does this chapter tell us about Philip?


What happened to Philip in this chapter?

Going Home
“And I thought we could right now we could crash into the barriers and be in a Pile Up and I liked that thought” (pg. 232). Why do you think Philip likes the idea of dying?
Diazepam
What did Dr. Crawford diagnose Philip with?

What do you think the purpose of page 239 is?

Group 5

GROUP 5
Watching TV with Mum
What did Philip tell his mother?

Why do you think Philip didn’t react to the news the wedding being pushed up early? (pg 242)

The Ticking Days
What was Philip’s father trying to convince him to do?

What did Philip lie to his mother about?

The Drips and the Drops and the Windsor Knot

“Nan hates him and Uncle Alan hates Nan but human beings always hate each other and pretend they don’t. That is what being a human being is about” (pg. 250). Why do you think Philip says this?

What does Philip see floating in the air? Why do you think he sees this? What do you think this means?

Thanksgiving Break

Do not forget to read through page 252 in The Dead Father's Club for next class. We will be finishing the book the week we get back from break so read ahead if you know you will not have time the week we get back. Also, work on your cartoons and write-ups or your short stories over break. Those will be due the Friday we get back from break. I will not be able to accept late work because that is the last day of the marking period.

Thanks and have a great Thanksgiving!
Ms. Snyder

11/18/10- Final Assessment Criteria, Study Guide

Today you will have a quiz on what we have read so far from The Dead Father's Club.

Final Assessment Criteria for Dead Father’s Club

Choose ONE of the following options:

Create a Cartoon: Using either comic life or goanimate.com, create a cartoon based off the book The Dead Father’s Club. Choose a scene or scenes that you think are significant in some way. Provide a 2-3 page analysis to go along with your cartoon. Here are some key questions for your analysis. REMEMBER you are not limited to just the following questions, they are just meant to get you started thinking of your analysis.

• Why did you choose the scene?

• Why did you want the characters to look a certain way?

• What is the scene significant to the book?
• What does the scene tell us about the character?

Write a Modern Shakespeare Story: Choose a Shakespeare story to re-write in a modern way. You do not have to choose Hamlet like Matt Haig did for The Dead Father’s Club. You can choose ANY Shakespeare story to re-write. The short story should be a minimum of 5 pages.

I will continue to post the study guide questions so you are able to review from them. We will not be answering them in groups today. You can answer them on your own time to stay caught up on the study guide for your test.

The Hungry School


What was Uncle Alan’s way of saying he was the new King of the Castle?

What was Uncle Alan talking to Philip about in the car ride to school?

100 Miles

What did Philip ask Leah to do? What was her answer?

Rugby

Philip begins the chapter by talking about two different types of schools. What are the two schools and who went to each?

Who was chosen last for Rugby teams? What was Philip’s reasoning behind it?

“It’s like how in War soldiers are told to kill other men and then they are Heroes but if they killed the same men when they were not in War they are Murderers. But they are still killing the same men who have the same dreams and who chew the same food and hum the same songs when they are happy but if it is called War it is all right because that is the rules of War” (pg. 113)

Why does Philip think Mr. Rosen isn’t angry about stealing the mini bus anymore?

Halloween and the Ra Ra Ghosts and Sleepy Eye Terry

What did Gary and Ross dress up as for Halloween?

What happened after Ross and Gary put the stink bomb in the house?

Who chased Philip? What happened when he was caught?

PrayStation

What did Uncle Alan buy Philip?

Why did Philip like the game he and Alan played?

Philip began making a list of ways to kill Uncle Alan. What was on Philip’s list? (HINT pg. 126)

What did Mr. Fairview come over and get from Uncle Alan?

Saturday in Boots

What was the reason Philip gave for loving Leah? (HINT pg. 134)

What did Leah convince Philip to do?

The Golden House

What did Uncle Alan change in the pub?

What did Philip’s dad tell Philip about Uncle Alan and his men?

What did Uncle Alan announce in the pub?

What was Philip’s reaction to the announcement?

Dancing Queen

What does Uncle Alan convince Philip’s mother to do?

The Ghost Wind

Who does Philip’s father think is getting in the way of Philip killing Uncle Alan? What does Philip’s dad tell Philip to do about it?



Haig's- One sentence stories

This writing exercise is from Matt Haig's website. I thought I'd give you a break from beginning the next writing assignment. Each person should write their own one sentence story and post it as a comment to this blog.  Below are a few examples of one sentence short stories written by Haig

ONE SENTENCE STORIES

 She shrank, like Alice, and only love could make her full-sized, the doctor said, but the doctor didn't know.

He looked at his hands, trembling, the blood still on them, and he told him I am sorry, brother, and he tried to mean it.

The alarm clock was off and so was the light, when he tried the switch, the last thing he ever did.

"I love you so much I cannot breathe," she said, so he breathed for her and they lived on his breath until the morning came to dissolve their flesh.



Group 1

The Men Who Smashed the Pub

What does Philip’s dad tell him to do when he heard the noises coming from downstairs?

What did the men breaking into the pub prove to Philip?

Barbarism

“For the Roman soldier Hadrian’s Wall was more than just a defense against the Caledonaian tribes- it also represented the dividing line between the known world of order and civilization, and the unknown world of chaos and barbarism” (pg. 68-69). Analyze this quote

Who does Philip’s father say broke into the pub? Who paid them? What did Philip’s father say was the reason?

Group 2

Sin

What was Uncle Alan convincing Philip’s mother to allow?

What did Philip throw at the kitchen table? Why?

What do you think happens to Phillip at the end of the chapter?

Group 3

Mr. Fairview and the Trout

What does Mrs. Fell suggest Philip do?

“She said that writing is sometimes easier than speaking even though is takes longer and she said it is easier because you can do it on your own and say things that you are scared to speak unless it was by yourself and if you speak to yourself people think you are mad, but if you write the same things they think you are clever” (pg. 76-77).  Analyze this quote

Describe Mr. Fairview’s character

Who is Leah?

What does Leah teach Philip?

What does Leah promise Philip now that he is her boyfriend?

Group 4

The Four Layers of the Earth


How does Philip describe “going out” with someone?

Who are Carla the Barmaids sons?

Who is Dane?

Why does Philip question Uncle Alan killing his dad?

Group 5

Group 5



The Good Shepherd

Describe the Fairview’s house?

Mr. Fairview is very religious; describe Leah’s views of religion

What happened to Leah’s mother?

What did Leah and Philip do in Leah’s room?

The Dog Noises

What did Philip mistake for dog noises?

What did Philip do to have ideas on how to kill Uncle Alan?

Group 1

Each group will answer the study guide questions. Post your answers as a comment to this blog

Group 1



The First Time I saw Dad After He Died

What does Philip’s Nan tell him at the funeral? Why might this be significant to Philip’s character?

What were Big Vic and Les smoking at the pub?

What was suggested about why Carla got a divorce?

Where did Philip first see his father’s ghost?

King of the CASTLE

What is the pubs name?

What was Philip’s dad’s ghost wearing?

Do you find Philip’s reaction to seeing his father’s ghost realistic? Why or why not?

The Bad News

How did Philip’s dad die?

Philip took time to describe the Policeman. How did Philip describe him and why do you think that’s significant?

Why might the author have certain words in all capitals, like WOLF? What else do you notice about the way the book is written? (Does it sound like an 11 year old boy speaking? What about the spacing and placement of the words in certain chapters?)

Group 2

Each group will answer the follwing study guide questions. Post your answers as a comment to this blog

Group 2



The Terrors

What does Philip’s dad show him when he looked out the window by the Bottle Banks?

What is The Dead Father’s club?

Philips father only began to describe what the terrors are. What do you think they are?

Guppy Number Six

Philip takes time to describe the fish tank and the fish inside. What can the fish symbolize for Philip?

Who called from Philip’s school?

Who told Philip’s Father the truth about ghosts?

List The Truth About Ghosts

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Group 3

Each group will answer the study guide questions. Post your answers as a comment to this blog

Group 3



Uncle Alan Is Dangerous

Why did Philip’s father crash his car?

Philip tried to think of solutions to getting rid of Uncle Alan. His father only left him with one option. What was it?

The Hole in the Wall

What’s the name of the book Philip took off the bookshelf?

What is the No time?

When does Philips dad run out of time?

How does Philip describe Uncle Alan?

Hadrians Wall

In what ways does Philip connect to the Romans?

Haig’s writing style is original. How do you think his writing affects the readers?

What does Philip get made fun of for at the end of the chapter?

The Disco

How does Philip describe Mr. Rosen?

Philip said his heart wasn’t beating like normal which made him think he was going to die. Then it stopped so he didn’t tell anyone. What do you think this says about Philip?

Philip said, “Sometimes being nice is as bad as being horrible” (pg. 38). Do you agree/disagree? Why?

Group 4

Each group will answer the study guide questions below. Post your answers as a comment to this blog

Group 4



After The Disco

What important information does Philip’s dad’s ghost tell him?

The Mini Bus

Who does Philip compare his dad’s face to?

Philip’s father’s ghost said, “Sometimes you have to do something that is wrong to do something bigger that is right” (pg. 45). How does this apply to the book so far?

Why is Philips father so scared for Philips mother at the pub?

Beatbeatbeat

Who chased after Philip when he took the mini bus? What did they think Philip was doing in the bus?

Who did Philip see over in the fields behind Mrs. Fell?

Dad dy

What does Philip say “Dada” sounds like?

In your opinion, what is the significance of this chapter?

Group 5

Each group will answer the study guide questions below. Post your answers as a comment to the post.

Group 5


Mrs. Palefort

Who is Mrs. Palefort?

Philip couldn’t get to his mother at the pub in time, what happened to her?

What were the special conditions for Philip to stay in school?

Rudyard Kipling

Who did Philip tell about his dad’s ghost?

Philip said Mrs. Fell smiled when he gave her the right answer. Why do you think Philip thought that? What does it say about his character?

Angelfish

What is the name of Philips Angelfish?

What do you think the purpose of the Angelfish chapter is?

The Men Who Smashed the Pub

What does Philip’s dad tell him to do when he heard the noises coming from downstairs?

What did the men breaking into the pub prove to Philip?

Short Bio on Matt Haig

Matt Haig is a novelist and writer, born in 1975 in Sheffield, UK. He has written for The Guardian, The Sunday Times, The Independent, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Face.


His novels are often dark and quirky takes on family life. The Last Family in England tells the story of Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 1 with the protagonists as dogs. It was a bestseller in the UK and the film rights have been sold to Brad Pitt's Plan B production company. His second novel Dead Fathers Club is based on Hamlet, telling the story of an introspective 11-year old dealing with the recent death of his father and the subsequent appearance of his father's ghost. His third adult novel, The Possession of Mr Cave, deals with an obsessive father desperately trying to keep his teenage daughter safe. His children's novel, Shadow Forest, is a fantasy that begins with the horrific death of the protagonists' parents. It won the Nestlé Children's Book Prize in 2007.



In 2009, it was announced that Haig's latest novel The Radleys would be published by Canongate Books in the summer of 2010[1] and it was later revealed that The Radleys would also be published as a Young Adult edition with Walker Books, under the Walker Canongate imprint[2]. A film adaptation of The Radleys has been announced, with Alfonso Cuarón attached to produce.


 Novels

The Last Family in England/The Labrador Pact (2005)

Dead Fathers Club (2007)

Shadow Forest (2007)

Brand Failures

The Possession of Mr Cave (2008)

Runaway Troll (2008)

The Radleys (2010 forthcoming)

Wait a minute, Hamlet can be funny?!

While reading The Dead Father's Club it's important to remember that it's also supposed to be funny. Here are a few cartoons based off of Hamlet. Enjoy!

Matt Haig

Hello Everyone!

For Tuesday's class, 11/9 we are going to the library to get your next book, The Dead Father's Club by Matt Haig. Click HERE for a link to his website for you to look around on, there's a lot of interesting stuff! 

Here's a interview of Matt Haig, discussing The Dead Father's Club. There are many other video's of  Haig on youtube if you are interested.



Rita Dove Thomas and Beulah

Read and discuss Beulah's section
Read about Thomas and Beulah:
www.suite101.com/article.cfm/african_american_lit_retired/62567
www.answers.com/topic/thomas-and-beulah-1

Test on Friday.

Work on poetry cycle.

NEXT BOOK: DEAD FATHERS CLUB