Atomic Blue Pieces by Angela Johnson

Something to think about:

1. Why did Leon leave Chalky's Trailer Park?

2. What are the similarities and differences between the first and last line in this story? How does the last line in the story change? What do these changes signify?

3. What are the "pieces" mentioned in the title of the story?

Ashes by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Something to think about:

1. What does Ashleigh's father say about dreams?

2. What do you thik about Dad's request?

3. Do you thik Ashleigh will give her father the money? What clues from the story support your answer?

Looking For Work by Gary Soto

Things to think about:

1. Why did Gary want to imitate the family in Father Knows Best?

2. What does Gary seem to like about his own life?

3. At the end of the story, Gary is once again looking for work. Why?

The One Who Watches by Judith Ortiz Cofer

Something to Thing About:

• Doris says that Yolanda has "problems that make her act crazy." Does Yolanda have any positive qualities?


• What are the negative outcomes of Doris's decision to run away from trouble?


• Yolanda mentions a song that is about being lonely, even in a crowd of people. Do you think it is possible to be lonely when people are around? Explain.

Ms Whitney's 5th Hour

Jared by David Gifaldi

Something to think about:

1. In this story, Jared states that "whenever something good happens, there's always something or some god-awful thing that happens that pulls you back. Snuffing out what was good." Do you agree with this quote? Why?

2. Why did the author describe Jared's heart as a chained bird fluttering under his shirt?

3. How does the therapist make Jared uncomfortable?

4. How do you think Megan and Jared's conversation went after he introduced himself to her?

Ms. Whitney's 5th Hour

Dear Marsha by Judie Angell


Something to think about: Was Anne Marie wrong to let Marsha believe she, too, was a teenager? What do you believe Marsha will do in the future?

Self-Reflection Blog

What do I write about?

• Tell what you like or dislike about the story and why.
• Tell about parts of the story that puzzled you or make you ask questions.
• Tell what you noticed about the characters, such as what made them act as they did or how they changed.
• Write about something that surprised you or that you found interesting.
• Write your predictions and about whether your predictions were right.-Tell about the connections you made while reading.
• Write about the language the author used and why you think the author wrote this way.
• Respond to something another student has left in the comments.Start a conversation!

Just a few things to remember:

1. Always use your first name and last name initial to sign your entries. Your privacy and safety are important to me, so last names are off limits...except for mine:)

2. Make sure anything you say in this space is appropriate. If you don't agree with what somenoe else says, state your opinion in a logical and mature way without name calling or insults. Not cool.

3. Do not pretend to be someone else. This a huge leap of faith that I'm taking with you guys. You have to be responsible and do the work assigned to you. I'm trusting you to do the right thing, so stay honest and we'll be good to go.

4. This blog is about you and the thoughts you have about the stories we are reading, so do me a favor and EXPRESS YOUSELVES! Tell me what your thoughts and feelings are about these stories. What are you learning about yourself? What are you larning about others? Are you learning anything??


The next few weeks are going to fly by, and we're going to be working hard, so make sure you do everything you can to keep up! If you have problems or questions about posting, just let me know and I'll do what I can to help. Have fun!