Missing May

Prediction-Ch.9-10-SBC

Before reading chapters nine and ten have the students predict using weblogs what the trip will be like to Putnam County. Use the following questions to prompt their thinking:

What do you believe will happen on the way there?
Do you think that the trip will go as planned? Why or why not?
Do you believe that they will find exactly what they are looking for?
Will this trip be the answer to Ob's prayers? Why or why not?
What will become of this one trip?
Will this trip change the lives of everyone involved? How or why not?

Be sure to have the students base their predictions on their prior knowledge.

Star-Ch.7-8-SBC

Chapter seven concludes with Summer making a statement about their little trip to Putnam County, "Pretty soon we'll all be in Ob's Valiant, traveling like wise men to Bethlehem, looking for that star in the sky that might point us to May." This idiom can be found on page 56. This idiom could also be used in a sentence such as, "I've been sitting here just waiting for that star in the sky to point me in the right direction."

Dealing with death-Ch.9-10-SBC

Using an Internet search engine I ran across the following web address
http://www.healthyplace.com/communities/depression/related/loss_grief_3.asp. This website is titled "Helping Yourself and Others Deal With Death." As we become teachers with our own students and our own classrooms, we're bound to come across a situation such as Summer's. This page states that, "adults may not view a child behavior as grief as it is often demonstrated in behavioral patterns which we misunderstand and do not appear to us to be grief such as "moody," "cranky," or "withdrawn." When a death occurs children need to be surrounded by feelings of warmth, acceptance and understanding." It also gives us information on how we can help adults deal with the same issue. Other resources on this topic are listed as well.

Summer's Feelings - Chap. 8

page 64.

"I looked at Cletus to see is all this talk of illness and deterioration affected him the way it did me.  But there was no fear or worry in his face.  He looked perfectly serene.  I counldn't understand that kind of peace.  Already I was thinking I ought to get Mr. Underwood into Fayetteville to a chiropractor and maybe there was some kind of medicine that might save Mrs. Underwood's right eye.  Already I was making plans on how to keep them both from the grave."

I think that this passage represents Summer in such an honest way.  This is Summer's perspective of life; thinking about death.  Due to the circumstances in her life, Summer looks at older people differently and in a scared way.  What is so interesting to me however, is that she is aware of this.  She compares herself to Cletus in this passage and looks at how they have different perspectives of the same thing.

 

Summer's journey up to Chap.7 - AN

At the end of chapter seven, I decided to track Summer's travels thus far in the book.  What is so ironic though, is that Summer has not really traveled in this book yet.  The only place that Summer goes is to school and back each day.  I believe that the most significant place that Summer has been so far is to the garden on the day that she went with Ob and Cletus and tried to contact May.  Obviously this was a critical part of Summer's travels (although only to the garden) because it marked the beginning of Ob's hopelessness.  In chapter seven however, Summer, Ob, and Cletus are planning a trip to Putnam County.  I believe that, if they go, this travel will prove to be just as significant. 

Chapters 7 & 8 CCT

I am still working out the details of how this weblog might work out, but it did occur to me that in Chapters 7 and 8, the characters in this story are about to go on a long trip. This might be enough to start a weblog about traveling.

Starting discussion items might include:

What's the longest distance you have ever traveled in a single trip?

How did you get there?

Why did you go?

Who went with you?

How did you feel when you left home?

How did you feel when you arrived?

What would you tell someone else about this place - was there anything unusual or remarkable about it?

How did you feel when you returned home?

What did you learn about traveling that might help others? (EX: Don't read in the car. Discount hotel fares are available on the web. Don't travel through Washington, DC during rush hour.)

Cletus is Ob's Savior - Chapter 7 - BW

In chapter 7, on page 54, Summer says "I saw that grin on his face, that glint in his eyes, and I knew that Ob had suddenly found himself a reason to get out of bed in the mornings, at least for a little while longer." This passage touched my heart. It makes me realize exactly how people feel after they lose a loved one. They feel as if they have no reason to get up and go on each day. Ob looks at Cletus as his savior, his survival. I think sometimes people come along after a loved one has passed in different ways. Sometimes a person will meet another mate to share their life with, and sometimes that savior comes in the package of someone like Cletus. As comical as it may seem, Cletus is just what Ob needs to continue on.

Ob's Other Side-Chapter 8-MG

Ob's shows another side in Chapter 8.

"See, I lost my wife last August and since then Summer, she's had a rough time of it." He looked at me and shook his hard sadly. "Poor little thing. She just can't figure what to do with herself when she's got some time on her hands. So I was thinking she'd get a lot oout of this little sightseeing trip."

Ob has shown another side to Summer and Cletus. Do you think they like that side? What do you think about Ob's other side displayed in Chapter 8.

Critical Thinking Questions for Chapter 7

Knowledge

What is The Spiritualist Church of Glen Meadows?

Comprehension

How would you summarize Ob's feelings about seeing Reverend Miram B. Conklin?

Application

What questions would you ask in an interview with Reverend Miriam B. Conkin?

Analysis

What conclusions can you draw from Summer's feelings about the trip to see the Reverend Miriam B. Conklin?

Synthesis

Can you predict the outcome if Ob, Summer, and Cletus are able to connect with May?

Evaluation

Do you agree with Ob's decision to see Rev. Miriam B. Conklin?

Inspiration-Ch.7-8-SBC

Students reading Missing May could easily complete a technology activity on such software programs as Inspiration. While studying character traits I would ask students to use the three main characters in the book (Summer, Ob, and Cletus) to complete a web that showed each of these characters traits. Students would create a large circle in the middle titled Missing May characters (or something of that sort). From there they would create three more circles each containing the names of the three main characters. They would then create and fill in other circles containing character traits. Students would be encouraged to use their books while creating their webs to give examples of why they believe that character holds that particular trait.