I chose A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck as the basis of ...



I chose A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck as the basis of my novel unit for eighth graders. I first read the novel after the librarian at my school highly recommended it by stating, “I laughed out loud during the entire reading.” With such a recommendation, how could one not be captivated from the beginning, and, after reading the novel for myself, I would have to agree with her assessment.

What made the novel so pleasurable was the masterful characterization of both Mary Alice and Grandma Dowdel. The reader can easily enter Mary Alice’s world to be a part of her experiences as well as to gain an appreciation for Grandma’s many talents. As a student proceeds through the grade levels, the concept of characterization becomes more refined which makes this novel a perfect match for eighth grade Language Arts.

The novel can also be used to teach a number of literary devices including similes and metaphors. This novel is full of these comparisons which also contribute to the novel’s effectiveness. By taking the time to notice and study the literary devices, a discussion can be centered on the artistry of the author’s craft.

Eighth graders will soon have to make the sometimes difficult transition to the unfamiliar world of high school. Mary Alice is having to make a similar adjustment from city to small town life. Hopefully, the students will be able to learn some ways to deal with their upcoming adjustment from Mary Alice’s experiences.

Finally, American history is an emphasis in Social Studies during this grade. Since most teachers begin the year teaching about Native Americans, many students do not have the chance to study World War I or the Great Depression, both of which are important moments in history. By studying this novel and completing the accompanying historical activities, students will become more knowledgeable about this often neglected period in history.

Pre-reading Activity

Depression Notes

Use the space below to record new insights you gain from the videos and discussions about The Great Depression.

Pre-reading Activity

Vocabulary

The vocabulary that you will study as you read A Year Down Yonder is listed below.

|Vocabulary | |

|Word |Meaning |

| | |

|Teeter | |

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|Wary | |

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|Forage | |

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|Brazen | |

| | |

|Preen | |

| | |

|Capitulate | |

| |

|Loom (verb) |

| |

|Preside |

Vocabulary Circles

In order to help you commit these words to memory, you need to manipulate them into various forms. Complete the following vocabulary circle maps with an antonym and synonym for each word. Additionally, you are to use the word correctly in a sentence and draw an illustration to help you remember the word.

Activity 1

Section 1 pages 1-20

Characterization Charts

Authors spend a great deal of time giving their characters interesting and believable characteristics so their readers will believe they are real people and identify with them. Throughout the novel, Richard Peck introduces us to a variety of interesting characters, some of whom we’ll get to know well. As you read, complete the chart below with traits and information that you discover about each character.

|Mother |Mary Alice |Grandma Dowdel |Mildred Burdick |Ina Rae Gage |

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|Miss Butler |Augie Fluke, Jr. |Carleen Lovejoy |Mrs. L.J. Weidenbach |Royce McNabb |

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Activity 2

Section 2 pages 21-54

Animal comparisons

Think about your favorite season and what types of activities you participate in during that season. Then choose an animal whose actions would match your own during the chosen season. Finally, draw an outline of the animal and eloquently write your comparison inside. You can use the example below. The words were provided on page 22 by Mary Alice when she was describing Grandma. Put your final copy on the next page.

Activity 2b

Section 2 pages 21-54

The ABC’s of

World War I and The Great Depression

Together, the class will be creating an Alphabet Book about World War I and The Great Depression, important historical events which are mentioned in the novel. Each person will be responsible for a page in our book by writing about the word you selected. Be sure to explain your word as it relates to the historical period given in brackets. Design your page with a large capital letter and an illustration using a vertical format. Be ready to present your page on ______________.

|A: Armistice Day |B: |C: |D: |E: |F: |G: |

|(also Veteran’s Day) |Breadlines [d] |Civilian Conservation |Doughboy |Entente, Triple |Fireside chats |Gas, mustard [w] |

|[w] | |Corps [d] |[w] |[w] |[d] | |

|H: |I: |J: |K: |L: |M: |N: |

|Hindenburg, Paul von |Inflation |Jobs, Jobs! |Kaiser [w] |Lusitania |Maigot line [w] |New Deal [d] |

|[w] |(contribution to the |(WWII production) [d] | |(sinking) [w] | | |

| |stock market crash) | | | | | |

| |[d] | | | | | |

| | | | | | | |

|O: |P: |Q: |R: |S: |T: |U: |

|Okies (farm |Princip, Gavrilo |Quentin Roosevelt |Roosevelt, |Stock market crash|Trench warfare |U-boats |

|foreclosures so |(murder of Franz and |(also other WWI flying |Franklin D. [d] |of 1929 [d] |[w] |(also |

|families lived in |Sophie Ferdinand) [w] |aces) [w] | | | |untersee-boots) |

|camps) [d] | | | | | |[w] |

| | | | | | | |

|V: |W: |X: |Y: |Z: | | |

|Versailles (Hall of |Works Progress Admin. |Xtra, Xtra: America |Ypres, battle of |Zeppelin [w] | | |

|Mirrors) [w] |[d] |Declares War on Germany|[w] | |[w] = |[d] = |

| | |[w] | | |WWI |Depression |

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Activity 3

Section 3 pages 55-93

Calling All

Playwrights and Thespians!!!

Select a scene that you believe would lend itself to a Reader’s Theatre presentation. A Reader’s Theatre is a scene from a novel or short story which is rewritten in the form of a play with narrators to explain what is occurring and the characters in the scene speak their lines.

List the page number(s) where the scene is located and provide a short description of it. Also include the characters and the number of narrators you will need for the scene. Finally, explain why you believe your selection would be a good choice for a Reader’s Theatre.

Activity 4

Section 4 pages 94-130

Author’s Craft

Authors spend a great deal of time carefully choosing their words in order to have the greatest impact upon their readers. This is known as the “author’s craft.” Often these deliberate word choices include the use of similes and metaphors. Both similes and metaphors compare two unlike objects; however, in a simile, these objects are connected using the word “like” or “as” whereas a metaphor has no connecting words.

After reading this section, choose four examples of similes and/or metaphors which struck you as being notable. Record your findings on the following page and then explain how each helps the reader to understand what the author is trying to describe. Remember to write the page number where your examples are located. You may use the following examples as a reference.

Simile:

“The pew popped like gunfire beneath her” (p. 71)

• The author had just finished describing how the church was quiet. Then, when Grandma came in, she loudly announced her presence as she sat down startling people as unexpected gunfire disturbs the quiet.

Metaphor:

“The mattress on the big brass bed had more craters than the moon.” (p. 39)

• This gives us a better image in our mind of the bed’s lumpiness. It’s much more effective and eloquent than “the bed was lumpy.”

Final Activity

Unconventional Love

Although Grandma Dowdel isn’t an outwardly affectionate woman, she nevertheless shows her love and compassion through her words and actions throughout the novel. Go back into the text and find some of these moments. Then, on the next page briefly describe at least five of these loving examples by writing them inside the heart. Finally, along the outside, write the names of the people who benefit from Grandma Dowdel’s unconventional love.

Activities Rubric

Depression Notes /10 points

• Notes reflect thoughtful observation and

attention to the videos and lectures.

Vocabulary /10 points

• Activities are complete and correct.

Characterization Chart /15 points

• Character traits are given with support for all characters

Animal Comparisons /10 points

• Includes an outline of an animal

• Activities reflect chosen season

• Explanation states why person is like the animal

Alphabet Book Page /15 points

• Includes a large capital letter and illustration

• Provides a clear explanation of term(s)

• Contains correct spelling, grammar, mechanics, usage

Reader’s Theatre /15 points

• Scene selected is appropriate for a Reader’s Theatre

• Explanation includes the amount of characters needed

• Final copy is written in the style of a Reader’s Theatre

Author’s Craft /10 points

• Explains the comparison and provides page numbers

Final Reflection /15 points

• Gives relevant examples of Grandma’s compassion

________________

/100 points

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