In this class, learners will review key vocabulary such as: poetry, point of view, repetition, stanza, line, haiku, idiom, imagery, simile, metaphor, foreshadowing, characterization, mood, tone, allusion, and genre. The essential vocabulary will be assigned prior to the first class. Students are expected to use Google Slides to access the vocabulary or have a print out with them during each class meeting. Students must read the designated pages before each class begins. The 6 classes will be structured as follows:
Class #1: Have pages 1-28 read (from "Memory like a Movie" and stop at "Race Day"). During this class, we will discuss the narrator and main character, ZJ, his Dad, and his 3 friends. We will look at how the novel is set up in poems and review stanzas and lines. We will also pull out examples of foreshadowing and imagery. 
Class #2: Have pages 29-53 read (from "Race Day" and stop at "The trees"). During this class, we will discuss the character change in ZJ's Dad and how this contributes to the overall conflict in the novel as well as the shift in mood. We will also look at examples of figurative language and their meanings. 
Class#3: Have pages 53-80 read (from "The Trees" and stop at "E String"). During this class, we will analyze the shift in mood and how it's affecting the characters, especially the main character ZJ. We will take a closer look at ZJ's Mom and characterize her based on what we know up to this point in the story. Students will get a chance to speak about the novel thus far and give insight as to what they think will happen next. We will also discuss common sport related injuries. 
Class#4:  Have pages 80-106 read (from "E String" and stop at "Skate Park"). During this class, we will discuss how ZJ's life has changed as a result of his Dad's illness. Students will get a chance to reflect on major changes in their lives and whether they have a group of friends like ZJ, family members, music or anything that helps them cope with change or scary situations. Students will be asked to create an original Haiku like the one found on page 102 about ZJ's Dad. Students will share their Haiku at the beginning of the next class. 
Class#5: Have pages 106-130 read (from "Skate Park" and stop at "Apple from the Tree"). During this class, students will share their Haiku and share the inspiration for the poem. We will then discuss the extended metaphor in "Dream" and how ZJ often compares what is going on in his life and with his Dad to football. 
Class#6: Have pages 130-161 read (from "Apple from the Tree" and finish with the last poem "Music"). During this class, we will discuss how repetition is part of author's tone. We will look at the repetition in "Waiting" and how it relates to ZJ's life with his Dad's progressing illness. We will also discuss the significance of "It's All Gonna Be Right in the Morning" and the shift between ZJ being called "little man" and now "big man." Could this foreshadow ZJ becoming the man of the house once his Dad is gone?

Classes will be mostly discussion based with me asking questions or asking students to pull out certain examples from the text. I will track discussion through Google Slides. Students should be able to read independently at at least a 5th grade reading level or 780Lexile level.