Discussion Director

The job of the discussion director is to ask the students in the group meaningful thinking questions.  You will need to write down the questions, the answers to the questions, and if possible, the page and paragraph number where the answers can be found. 

 

  1. When Josh learns that he can hear and understand Manch and his friend’s how do you think that makes him feel?  I think that it made Josh feel strange.  Hearing animals talk would be weird for humans.
  2. On pg. 25 Wes Rockett tells Josh about initiating the “flatlanders”, why do you think Wes is so mean?  Wes is probably mean because there aren’t a lot of kids around his neighborhood.  Some kids don’t know how to be nice until something bad happens to them. 
  3. When the dogs smelt people odor in the woods, describe the mood on page 13.  How do you think they were feeling?  The dogs probably felt violated and upset.  A human had snuck up on them listening to what they were doing and spying on them and I know if someone did that to me I would feel violated.     
  4. All of the following describe Josh’s emotions except…

a. nervous         b. surprised      c. unhappy        d. extremely happy     (answer: d)

      5.  What do you think is symbolic in the story about talking dogs?  Josh has a gift to hear the dogs and he might have a gift to help people get along with others.  If Josh is able to help Manch and his friends from River Gang, Manch might be able to help Josh from Wes.  People always say that dog is man’s best friend. 

      6.  In the 1st chapter, Josh thought he needed to carry a gun to protect himself.  What do you think caused him to think this?  Because Josh can’t carry a gun what do you think will happen if he gets into danger?  What do you think might have happened in the first section if Josh had a gun?  Josh felt threatened by Wes and he knew Wes had a gun so I think that Josh thinks he would be safer with a gun not only to protect himself from Wes but also from crazy animals in the woods.  Maybe if Josh gets into trouble Manch will help him or Wes and Josh will become friends and he won’t have to worry about being in danger.  Josh may have gotten in to big trouble and hurt someone or something that didn’t need to be hurt if he had a gun.    

 

 

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