Walk in Work:
Label your next A and B page: Lit Circles Day 2
Copy the following table onto your A side:
Theme Theory for ________________________________:
Character
Evidence of interaction with setting
(Author’s last name #)
Reasoning: How does this reaction between character
and setting help to reveal the theme?
Warm-Up

Review your stories with your lit circle and come
up with a theme theory as a group.

Write this theme theory on the top of your
charts:

EX:
Theme Theory for _”The Veldt” by Ray Bradbury: In our society, it is often considered “ideal” to escape reality by using some
form of technology. This creates a dependency on technology and constant entertainment that can ultimately blur the lines
between what is real and what is not.
Character
Evidence of interaction with setting
Reasoning: How does this reaction between character and
(Author’s last name #)
setting help to reveal the theme?
As you re-read your story today…

Annotate for evidence of your characters interacting with
the setting in some way.
 Anytime
the setting (time period, society, physical surroundings)
affect the character in some way, this is a moment where the author
might be revealing the theme.

After you have re-read and annotated, complete the chart
in your notebook with 1 piece of evidence you have found
and support it with 1 piece of reasoning that connects it with
your theme theory.
Theme Theory for _”The Veldt” by Ray Bradbury: In our society, it is often considered “ideal” to escape reality by using
some form of technology. This creates a dependency on technology and constant entertainment that can ultimately blur
the lines between what is real and what is not.
Character
Wendy and Peter
Hadley
Evidence of interaction with setting (Author’s last
name #)
After David McClean arrived at the Hadley home
to take them to their vacation, ”He stared at the
two children seated in the center of the open glade
eating a little picnic lunch […] The children smiled”
(Bradbury 9).
Reasoning: How does this reaction between character and
setting help to reveal the theme?
The children are sitting in the nursery, which they have turned
into an African Veldt enjoying a picnic lunch after imagining
the lions eating their biological parents. They have focused
on this image so much, that it actually became real and their
parents were killed. The constant access to technology has
corrupted their thinking and made them choose technology
over their own family.
Walk in Work
 Turn
to your next A and B page and label them:
Literature Circles Day 3
Connotation vs. Denotation

Denotation – Dictionary definition of a word

Connotation – implied meaning of a word in context

Ex: Butcher and Slaughter
 Both
have the same denotation (To kill)
 One
feels more appropriate in certain contexts…
 Would
 Which
you rather have your steak butchered or slaughtered?
has a more positive connotation and which has a more
negative connotation?
Group Practice

Decide which of the two following words have a more positive and
negative connotation:

Thin, lanky

Aggressive, assertive

bright, cunning
Close Reading for Tone
1.
Re-read the paragraph, annotating for word choice the
author uses to convey the speaker’s opinion on the subject
2.
Use the word choice (evidence) to identify a tone (Use the
thesaurus to find the best fitting word)
3.
Argue this tone in a CER paragraph
Close Reading for Tone - Discovery
1.
Re-read the paragraph, annotating for word choice the
author uses to convey the speaker’s opinion on the subject
2.
Use the word choice (evidence) to identify a tone (Use the
thesaurus to find the best fitting word)
3.
Argue this tone in a CER paragraph that also includes a
theme analysis (connection to theme)
Example: “The Veldt” by Ray Bradbury

C: Ray Bradbury creates a solitary tone when he describes the
nursery in his short story, “The Veldt.”

E: This is illustrated through specific word choices like “silent,”
“empty” and “blank” (Bradbury 1).

R: The word silent usually means that there is no noise or talking,
which implies limited interaction between people. When
something is empty, it has a negative connotation that something
is missing. Similarly, when something is blank, it has usually been
untouched or left alone. All these words contribute to the solitary
tone because they show how a person is alone.
Example: “The Veldt” by Ray BradburyDiscovery

C: Ray Bradbury creates a solitary tone in his short story, “The Veldt.”

E: This is illustrated through specific word choices like “silent,” “empty” and “blank” (Bradbury
1).

R: The word silent usually means that there is no noise or talking, which implies limited
interaction between people. When something is empty, it has a negative connotation that
something is missing. Similarly, when something is blank, it has usually been untouched or left
alone. All these words contribute to the solitary tone because they show how a person is alone.

Theme Analysis: This informs a possible theme of technology can damage relationships
because when a person is alone while in the presence of technology, they are not relating to
or interacting with others.
Walk in work:
 Title
your next A page: Lit Circle Day
4
 Title your next B page: Lit Circle
Discussion Prep.
Walk in work: Discovery
 Title
your next A page: Lit Circle Day
4
 Title your next B page: Lit Circle
Discussion Prep.
 Turn to your Tone CER from yesterday
Major and Minor Characters (A Side)
Major
Minor
Charact Chara
er
cter
Direct evidence of interaction
George Peter
After George informs Peter that they
Hadley Hadley are going to turn off the house and
take a vacation, Peter whines, “That
sounds dreadful! Would I have to tie my
own shoes instead of having the shoe
tier do it?” (Bradbury 7).
Reasoning: How does this interaction help
reveal the theme?
Clearly, Peter has become so used to life
being made easy through technology
that he is now unable to see the value in
being self-sufficient. This illustrates how
excessive technology detaches people
from what truly matters.
Individual Work - Discovery

Create three level two questions and two level three questions to be
discussed in your Literature Circle groups on Friday in a Socratic Seminar

Remember we have recently been discussing/tracking:

Science Fiction Elements

Speculation

Author’s Tone

Setting

Character interaction and development

Theme
Lit. Discussion Preparation

Tomorrow you will be participating in a mini Socratic Seminar with your group and
others

Your job is to come prepared. To do this, you must create two level 2 questions and 1
level 3 question about your story.

Remember we have recently been discussing/tracking:

Science Fiction Elements

Speculation

Author’s Tone

Setting

Character interaction and development

Theme