Today, we read the rest of the play The Girl who Loved her Horses. I then worked with the students to determine the purpose of the play. In order to to this, we first brainstormed possible topics. The list we came up with is as follows:
Possible Topics:
* friendship * play * change * relationships
* abuse * imagination * creativity * government intervention
* community * loyalty * loneliness * love
* childhood * horses * empowerment
I then instructed you to cross out the topics that might not be that important, in order to arrive at the ones that might help us understand purpose. Your list then was shortened to these choices:
* friendship
* abuse
* empowerment
* loneliness
I then helped you arrive at a purpose statement using these topic words of your choosing. Keep in mind that not all of you might think that the purpose created is the one you would choose. You don't have to. What we are creating here is actually a thesis (an opinion about what the purpose is) that you should be able to support with evidence:
In the play Girl Who Loved Her Horses, the author, Drew Hayden Taylor, is trying to make the reader understand that having a sense of empowerment can keep a person who is in a difficult situation grounded and hopeful. It is almost as important as friendships for overcoming or managing obstacles, such as loneliness or abuse.
One I might have used which also used topic words is as follows:
In the play Girl Who Loved Her Horses, the author, Drew Hayden Taylor, is trying to make the reader understand that childhood experiences such as abuse, loneliness and relationships,can alter one's view on life or even dramatically change their personality.
Notice that, in neither of these cases, are we using the play itself. I could simply remove the information about the author and play and I would have a statement that could be applied and supported by evidence from other experiences, such as my own, or from observations outside the scope if this play.
I then allowed you the rest of this time in class to answer the questions you were previously provided for this play. These are due tomorrow.
I also stressed that you need to get Oryx and Crake out from the library and read it. You also need to get your independent novel study completed for hand in on the day you return after the winter break. You will also have a drama comprehension test on Friday. If you are not going to be here, make arrangements with me to write it earlier.
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