Activity 5: Deconstruct the following excerpts/sentences to help students understand the text. You may choose to do this at separate times of the day, so as not to overwhelm students. Page 26 excerpt – Tell students that authors deliberately choose specific words to help Define the word somewhere by telling students that somewhere is a relay a message or an idea. Write the sentences below on the board word used when you want to talk a place without saying exactly or on a chart and reread them with students. Tell students, where you mean. “Let’s think about what the author is trying to say with these words.” Help students deconstruct the meaning of the text by analyzing the sentences. the conductor calls. It’s such a strange name. As “Somewhere,” if it thinks itself important. As if it’s a place surrounded by nowhere.” Why does the author say, if it thinks itself important”? It’s a play on words. If something is important, it should be named, “As but this town isn’t given a specific name, it is just named Somewhere. What does the author mean when she says, if it’s a place If something is surrounded by nothing, it the something more “As surrounded by nowhere”? important. So, by saying that Somewhere is a place surrounded by nowhere, it makes it more significant and important. So, is Somewhere an important place or an unimportant place? What Somewhere is an important place because it is the place where is the author trying to tell us about Somewhere? Marianne will finally feel accepted and find a new family and home. Point out to students that the author uses the contradiction of the terms somewhere and nowhere to build the importance of the town of Somewhere. Why did the author call this book Train to Somewhere? What is the The author called this book Train to Somewhere because the final significance of the author naming the town Somewhere? stop on the route was Somewhere, Iowa. Throughout the story Marianne felt unloved, unwanted, and insignificant (unimportant). By
Activity 5: Deconstruct the following excerpts/sentences to help students understand the text. You may choose to do this at separate times of the day, so as not to overwhelm students. Page 26 – excerpt Tell students that authors deliberately choose specific words to help relay a message or an idea. Write the sentences below on the board or on a chart and reread them with students. Tell students, “Let’s think about what the author is trying to say with these words.” Help students deconstruct the meaning of the text by analyzing the sentences. “Somewhere,” the conductor calls. It’s such a strange name. As if it thinks itself important. As if it’s a place surrounded by nowhere.” Define the word somewhere by telling students that somewhere is a word used when you want to talk a place without saying exactly where you mean. Why does the author say, “As if it thinks itself important”? It’s a play on words. If something is important, it should be named, but this town isn’t given a specific name, it is just named Somewhere. What does the author mean when she says, “As if it’s a place surrounded by nowhere”? If something is surrounded by nothing, it the something more important. So, by saying that Somewhere is a place surrounded by nowhere, it makes it more significant and important. So, is Somewhere an important place or an unimportant place? What is the author trying to tell us about Somewhere? Somewhere is an important place because it is the place where Marianne will finally feel accepted and find a new family and home. Point out to students that the author uses the contradiction of the terms somewhere and nowhere to build the importance of the town of Somewhere. Why did the author call this book Train to Somewhere? What is the significance of the author naming the town Somewhere? The author called this book Train to Somewhere because the final stop on the route was Somewhere, Iowa. Throughout the story Marianne felt unloved, unwanted, and insignificant (unimportant). By
train_to_somewhere_1_lit.docx