Fences and Family Dynamics: February 12, 2019

Focus: What can we learn about family dynamics and symbols from the first scene in Fences?

1. Warming up with Grammar Focus #7: Sentence Fragments

2. brainstorming the significance of the word, "fences"

• Look up "fence" on Google images.

• What are the purposes of different fences? Why do we build fences?

• What metaphorical significance can we ascribe to a fence? In other words, in literature and film, what might fences symbolize and how?

• After reading the introduction to Fences: What do you predict the fence might symbolize in this play in particular?

3. Exploring and questioning the family tree and set-up of Fences

• Sketch the family tree.

• What are you seeing? 
• What does it make you think about individual characters? About this family?
• What wonderings (questions) do you have?

• Read the opening summary with the same inquiry-based focus: See, think, wonder

4. Reading Scene 1 together with a focus on characterization:

• Keep adding to your family/friend tree with facts and inferences about what we're learning about these characters.

• What are you seeing? 
• What are you thinking? 
• What are you wondering about?
• Look for complexities and contradictions.

• Mark any passages you might want for your first Connect, Extend, Challenge blog entry.

5. Wrapping up by investigating any piece of what we read today with Connect, Extend, Challenge

HW:
1. For TOMORROW: Finish your Act 1, Scene 1 Connect, Extend, Challenge blog entry if you did not finish in class. MAKE SURE YOU POST/PUBLISH IT. If you were absent today, please read Act 1, Scene 1 on your own and follow the directions.

2. This Friday, February 15, marks the end of the first 6 weeks. Please submit all make-up work, revised work, and missing work by 3:45 this Friday. Also, if any of your grades are incorrect, please e-mail me by Friday. After Friday, all grades in IC will stand as they are.