60 pages • 2 hours read
Sharon CreechA modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Consider the ways in which Jack responds to poems over the course of the novel. Was his initial response to poetry similar to your response to the questions in the Personal Connection Prompt? Why or why not? Read the poems in the Paired Resources and compare your responses with Jack’s. Which poems do you share a similar sentiment on? Which poems do you feel different about? Why?
Teaching Suggestion: This Prompt invites students to connect their response from the Personal Connection Prompt within the context of the novel. The theme of The Purpose of Poetry reflects Jack’s journey. Initially, he is skeptical of poetry, but with time, he finds himself asking questions, engaging in the material, and eventually taking enjoyment and pleasure from the poetry assignments. This is reflected in the structure of his responses, which also become lengthier and more detailed over the course of the year. Based on the nature of the questions, this Prompt may work well as a take-home assignment.
Use this activity to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity.
CREATIVE WRITING: “Write Your Own Poem”
In this activity, students will use one of the poets referenced in the novel as inspiration for their own poem.
By Sharon Creech
Absolutely Normal Chaos
Sharon Creech
Chasing Redbird
Sharon Creech
Granny Torrelli Makes Soup
Sharon Creech
Hate That Cat
Sharon Creech
Heartbeat
Sharon Creech
Moo: A Novel
Sharon Creech
Ruby Holler
Sharon Creech
Saving Winslow
Sharon Creech
The Great Unexpected
Sharon Creech
The Wanderer
Sharon Creech
Walk Two Moons
Sharon Creech