What Does Success Look Like?
Scholars analyze how Kek has matured as a character and how his point of view on the meaning of home has changed. Scholars understand how Applegate connects the resolution to details and events from earlier in the story, and they articulate Applegate’s parting message about hope.
Seminar 6: Home of the Brave: Pages 201–249
Do Now — 10 minutes
- Show an exemplary Exit Ticket from the previous seminar. 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
- Review the big ideas from the at-home reading by having scholars quickly discuss the following question: What does Kek think is the difference between a boy and a man? Then build excitement for today’s reading and discussion by telling scholars that they will finish reading Home of the Brave and discover how Kek’s story ends.
Read and Discuss 1 — 30 minutes
Read:
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- Play Audiobook (Part 3: 49:29–58:01): Pages 201–212
Discuss:
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- Scholars discuss the following question in pairs: Kek narrates, “My aunt says I can find sun/ when the sky is dark./ But she’s wrong./ I can’t see what isn’t there” (page 204). Why are these lines significant? 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 moves does Applegate make to emphasize the connection between Gol and Kek in “Treed”?
Read:
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- Play Audiobook (Part 3: 58:02–1:07:09): Pages 213–224
Discuss:
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- Scholars discuss the following question in pairs: What does Kek learn from Ganwar about growing up? 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 does Kek mean by saying, “I wonder if finding the sun is one way to be a man” (page 223)?
Write — 10 minutes
Write an essay of no more than 200 words:
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- How does Kek become more mature? 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: The African proverb before Part 4 states, “When spider webs unite, they can tie up a lion” (page 225). How does this connect to the children’s plan for Gol? 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: In “Homecoming,” how does Applegate resolve certain details and events from earlier in the story?
Exit Ticket — 8 minutes
Write an essay of no more than 200 words:
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- What is Applegate’s message about hope in “Homecoming”? Justify your argument with at least two concrete pieces of evidence from the text.