What Does Success Look Like?
Scholars understand how Flack contrasts the Duvitches with their neighbors on Syringa Street to build his argument about humility and acceptance. Scholars analyze the importance of Father’s actions in driving the plot and developing the themes of the story.
Seminar 4:
“The Strangers that Came to Town” by Ambrose Flack
Do Now — 10 minutes
- Show an exemplary Exit Ticket from the previous seminar to scholars. Have scholars discuss what makes it exemplary. Have scholars articulate the transferable takeaway from the work study that they will apply to their revisions.
- Scholars revise their Exit Tickets from the previous seminar based on the feedback you gave them.
Launch — 2 minutes
- Build excitement for today’s seminar by telling scholars they will read a short story by New York resident Ambrose Flack that examines ways of overcoming prejudice.
Read and Discuss 1 — 30 minutes
Read:
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- Read Aloud (10 minutes): Paragraphs 1–24
Discuss:
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- Scholars discuss the following question in pairs: Why do the townspeople treat the Duvitches poorly? Call on pairs to share out. Insist that scholars back up their claims with evidence from the text.
- If scholars nailed the previous question, ask: What effect does repetition of the phrase “Syringa Street seemed to be a friendly street” have on the story?
Read:
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- Read Aloud (10 minutes): Paragraphs 25–86
Discuss:
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- Scholars discuss the following questions in pairs: What does Father’s reaction to Tom and Andy’s trick reveal about him? Call on pairs to share out. Insist that scholars back up their claims with evidence from the text.
- If scholars nailed the previous question, ask: Why does the narrator describe his and his brother’s appearance as “more condemned than redeemed”? (paragraph 86).
Write — 10 minutes
Write an essay of no more than 200 words:
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- How does Flack contrast the poverty of the Duvitches with the prosperity of Syringa Street? Justify your argument with at least two concrete pieces of evidence from the text.
Wrap-up — 5 minutes
- Show an exemplar essay to scholars. Have scholars discuss what makes the claim clear and compelling. Have scholars articulate the transferable takeaway from the work study that they need to apply to their own work moving forward.
Read and Discuss 2 — 25 minutes
Independent Reading (15 minutes):
Discuss:
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- Scholars discuss the following question in pairs: Why does Andy describe returning the fish to Mr. Duvitch as “my greatest lesson in humility”?> (paragraph 90). Call on pairs to share out. Insist that scholars back up their claims with evidence from the text.
- If scholars nailed the previous question, ask: How did life change for the Duvitches following the dinner with the narrator and his family? Why?
Exit Ticket — 8 minutes
Write an essay of no more than 200 words:
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- Why is Andy and Tom’s punishment significant to the story? Justify your argument with at least two concrete pieces of evidence from the text.
