Monday, April 19, 2010

4/19/10 ATGIB

Today I began the discussion by reading my questions and my passage.
Since no one else in my group was prepared with their questions and paragraph, there was not much discussion to be had.
We also finished the book for this meeting so there was no discussion on what could happen next.
One good thing that happened this meeting was that we discussed how Francie symbolizes the tree that grows in Brooklyn. She is the tree that has to grow in bad conditions. It grows, but soon it has to get cut back down. This is the point in Francie's story when Johnny dies. It then grows back up to be a majestic tree.
Th

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

April 6th ATGIB

Today I think I participated very well. I asked all of my questions and got good answers from my peers. I helped my group members with their questions as well as read my paragraph and how it ties into the book.
After I had read all of my questions, I answered a few of my peers question. I answered McKenzie's question about Katie being their "mother and father". I told her that this was because after Johnny died, she would have to pick up the slack and operate as both the mother and the father in the family.
I also answered McKenzie's question about why she didn't take Mr. McGaritys cash that he said belonged to Johnny because he had over paid him. I said that this was because she refuses to take charity of any kind.
I also answered miscellaneous questions relating to the plot and what characters were doing in the chapters we read.
Overall I think I contributed very well to my groups discussion.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

3.30.10 ATGIB

Ariel asked if Johnny was really sick or was Katie was saying he was drunk. Was this foreshadowing anything? I answered that Katie was just saying he was drunk and that it wasn't really overshadowing anything.
Ariel didn't understand about the rapist in Ch 33. She wanted to know where he came from. I answered that he came from the shadows in the hallway.
Ariel asked why Francie feels that she can't be nice to Joanna. I answered that she was told that Joanna was a bad girl and so Francie didn't smile at her.

McKenzie asked why the family keeps rereading all the books they had. Alyssa answered that they had no other books. Alyssa also said how Francie was getting tired of them.
Asked what a zitful cap was. I answered that it was a type of woolen cap.
Asked why Katie gave up on buying land after they get Johnny's burial plot. I said that this was because they saw how much a small plot of land costed and so Katie gave up on buying land.
Why does Katie tell the children not to cry when Johnny died? I answered that Katie didn't want the children to show their weakness.

Alyssa asked what made Francie so interested in the facts about sex now. Answer was that she was growing up and wanted to know.
Said how these chapters are a foreshadowing of what's going to happen later in the book.

I asked why the children were thought that Johnny was a bad father when Francie and Neely didn't want to see their dead father in a coffin outside of their kitchen. Answer was obvious, they were children and their dad had just died.
I asked why Francie put carbolic acid on her leg. What had touched her leg was in no way poisonous and the carbolic acid just gave her third degree burns.
I asked what the father must have thought when Lucia and her family went back to Italy with no baby. Everyone agreed that its weird that the father forgot about the baby so quickly.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

3.23.10 ATGIB

- I answered McKenzie's question about Katie putting kerosene in Francie's hair to keep away lice and other diseases. The question was why put it in her hair.
- I also answered McKenzie's question about Katie hating the Democratic party. I said how Katie didn't really hate the party, she just didn't believe all the things Johnny was saying about how the party would be there for you.
- McKenzie wanted to know what the "nightcap" was at the boaters office. I answered saying that i thought it was alcohol.

I then contributed all my questions, got answers, and then read my essay as well as answered some minor questions about what was going on, why, and how Francie reacted to it.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

3/18/10 ATGIB

Thursday's meeting went well. We talked about all of our questions and I answered Alyssa's question about Miss Tennymore. I then went on to ask my questions concerning Francie knitting and why woman would stop in pitying admiration at the girl knitting, Katie not knowing what to do with Francie's infection, and about Francie's new neighborhood. After all my questions were answered by my group, I read my paragraph and about how teachers then were brutal to kids because they had no other knowledge on how to punish kids. Also, how they treated kids with money better than the ones without money. I believe we spent our time very well in going over everyone's questions and answering them.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

March 12th's post (late)

I said that Professor Allegrato was weird -Agreed upon
Francie and the Butcher had a weird ordeal with each other because the butcher kept trying to rip her off but Francie knew how to get around it.
Aunt Sissy and her work- it was condoms that were the secret products
I read my paragraph
I related McKenzie's question to page 36. Said how Sissy thought it was the mans fault, not hers.

Not much to talk about this chapter.
Didn't contribute all that much because only 2 people were here and its hard to have an active discussion when both people agree on the topics.
We talked the entire time so it was OK time spending.

Monday, March 8, 2010

Scribe Day

We still had to decide what to read each day so we did it before we started talking about the book. Alyssa and Ariel thought that what we had to read was on the date before but McKenzie disagreed. We called over Ms. Hart and she agreed with McKenzie. We fixed our chart and moved on.

Alyssa gives a brief overview of what we read.
McKenzie and Ariel asked why Francie follows Neeley. I said that she hasn't mentioned any real friends yet.
Ariel says that there's something wrong with the dad. Everyone agrees. I bring up how he gives all his tips to the bar owner.
Alyssa talks about how there's something suspicious about the dad.
I ask about how i wonder when Francie goes back to school if she'll have friends.
I say how its weird how Francie likes to waste coffee, everyone agrees that it's not normal.
We all see some abuse happening to Francie in the future.
We all agree that she is very mature and independent for her age.
Alyssa talks about how Francie goes to the library alot.
I say that I think the book foreshadows that the library is going to burn down.
McKenzie talks about how the tree is weird and hasn't been talked about in the book that much, even though its in the title of the book.
Ariel's passage was about the Jewish pregnant woman and how Francie judges people based on their looks and clothes.
McKenzie's passage was about how Francie's dad was a good singer and everyone loved him.
McKenzie brought up how the dad freaked out and started screaming after Francie said "Oh Papa, I love you."
We all agreed it was weird and that there's something wrong with the dad.