1. The Kite Runner Close Reading
Day 2
Please have your art connection homework on your desk.

2. Please have your art connection homework on your desk.
Warm-Up and Journal Reflection (Please write this on a sheet of paper.)
The Kite Runner
Early in Amir and Hassan’s friendship, they often visit a pomegranate tree where they spend hours reading and playing. “One summer day, I used one of Ali’s kitchen knives to car our names on it: ‘Amir and Hassan, the sultans of Kabul.’ Those words made it formal: the tree was ours.” In a letter to Amir later in the story, Hassan mentions that “the tree hasn’t borne fruit in years.” Discuss the significance of this tree.
A Thousand Splendid Suns
At several points in the story, Mariam and Laila pass themselves off as mother and daughter. What is the symbolic importance of this deception? In what ways is Mariam’s and Laila’s relationship with each other informed by their relationships with their own mothers?

3. Art Connection
In your groups, please present your art connection. You must show your art piece and read your explanation.

4. Theme Mini-Lesson!
A thematic statement is a single sentence that describes a specific interpretation of the overall meaning of a work of literature. It must be brief, focused and insightful.

5. Step 1 What is Title of Your Summer Reading about?
Answer the questions using two of the abstract topics on the back of the page.
For example: What is To Kill a Mockingbird about?
Answer: discrimination, acceptance

6. Step 2
Using the abstract topic from step 1, explain in one complete sentence what the author believes the work is about.
For example: Author believes that _____________.
Example: Lee believes that discrimination is wrong.

7. Step 3 Cross out the first three words in your last sentence.
(You are eliminating “Author believes that”)
Lee believes that discrimination is wrong.

8. Step 4 Check for first and second person pronouns.
Your thematic statement should not say “I,” “you,” or “your.”
Our example doesn’t have any first or second person pronouns.

9. Ta-DA! Now you have a thematic statement!
Example: Discrimination is wrong.

10. How we interact with a text (to find deeper meaning & theme)*
Use a star for significant information, devices, and strategies you notice. !
Use an exclamation point to indicate what you feel strongly about in the article. ?
Use a question mark next for parts that are confusing or next to any information that you’d like to explore further.
This year, we’re going to use two main methods of interacting with a text or close reading.
First, we’ll use shared inquiry.
During this process, we’ll be annotating using FIDDS.
Both of these methods will help us find out how these elements contribute to theme, tone, purpose and meaning.

11. Shared inquiry: Step one
For this process we’ll read through the piece twice. On the first reading, mark your story like this: *
Use a star for significant information, devices, and strategies you notice. !
Use an exclamation point to indicate what you feel strongly about in the article. ?
Use a question mark next for parts that are confusing or next to any information that you’d like to explore further.

12. Shared inquiry step two: FIDDS
On the second reading, we’ll look for specific elements in the story. Often, we will look for literary devices. For this, we use the FIDDS method.
Figurative language (literary devices including similes, metaphors, allusions, personification)
Imagery (words or phrases that evoke the sensations of sight, hearing, touch, smell or taste)
Details (bits of specific information, especially characterization, setting and action)
Diction (word choice) Repetition, connotation, denotation; Levels of diction (formal, colloquial, archaic, slang, erudite, etc.)
Syntax (the way words and phrases are arranged to form phrases and sentences)

13. Page 91-93 in Kite Runner Page 6-7 in A Thousand Splendid Suns
While I’m read the passage aloud, please use step one of the annotation guide to mark your passage.

14. Now, let’s share.
First, let’s talk about questions… pair share and then we’ll share out to the class.
Okay, now “noticings…” pair share and then we’ll share out to the class.
Finally, what do you feel strongly about and why? Pair share and then we’ll share out to the class.

15. Let’s mark the passage again using step 2 from the annotation guide.
Please use FIDDS
Figurative language (literary devices including similes, metaphors, allusions, personification)
Imagery (words or phrases that evoke the sensations of sight, hearing, touch, smell or taste)
Details (bits of specific information, especially characterization, setting and action)
Diction (word choice) Repetition, connotation, denotation; Levels of diction (formal, colloquial, archaic, slang, erudite, etc.)
Syntax (the way words and phrases are arranged to form phrases and sentences)

16. Second Reading: How do these devices elaborate on the characters’ conflict?
Figurative Language
(simile, metaphor) I
Imagery
(descriptions that evoke the senses) D
Details
(specific information, especially characterization, setting, etc.)
Diction
(word choice, connotative meaning) S
Syntax
(sentence structure and phrasing, e.g. repetition)

17. Now, let’s share.
In your groups, share your findings. Compare what you each found.
Then decide one of each device to share with the class. Choose the best examples.
Remember, our goal is to decide the deeper message or theme of the story, so pick elements that you think hint at theme.

18. What possible themes can you think of for this passage?

19. Page 288-289 in Kite Runner Page 370-371 in A Thousand Splendid Suns
Please read this passage on your own. Annotate your book using FIDDS.

20. Second Reading: How do these devices elaborate on the characters’ conflict?
Figurative Language
(simile, metaphor) I
Imagery
(descriptions that evoke the senses) D
Details
(specific information, especially characterization, setting, etc.)
Diction
(word choice, connotative meaning) S
Syntax
(sentence structure and phrasing, e.g. repetition)

21. Theme
In your groups, discuss possible themes for your summer reading novel. Think about these passages in particular. Make sure your thematic statement involves a character’s external or internal conflict.
Then, decide on one and write a thematic statement that you will share with the class.

22. AP Prompt Practice
In many works of literature, past events can affect, positively or negatively, the present activities, attitudes, or values of a character. Choose a novel or play in which a character must contend with some aspect of the past, either personal or societal. Then write an essay in which you show how the character’s relationship to the past contributes to the meaning of the work as a whole.