Short+Story2

These stories "On the Sidewalk Bleeding" and "The Last Spin" are both written by Evan Hunter.

=Lesson One.= We brainstormed Gangs in New Zealand. Two key questions where asked: If someone is on the sidewalk bleeding would you help them? If they were a gang member would you help them? The names on the two gangs are The Royals and The Guardians. The Royal's where purple jackets with black writing on them. Then we read the Text as a class and answered these questions; 1. Who was the main character? 2. How old was he? 3. What happened to him? why? 4. What was the time he was stabbed? 5. Why couldn't he call for help? 6. What didn't he know? 7. What was his girlfriend's name?

=Lesson Two.= We looked at the characters of the drunk, Angela and Freddy and the old lady. We wrote some notes on what we knew about the characters and why they didn't help Andy.

We then brainstormed the character of Andy and came up with the following: - was wearing a purple silk jacket with his name stitched on the front - the reader doesn't know what he looks like or what nationality he is - his girlfriend's name is Laura. He loves her and wants to move away with her and have kids - he doesn't know that he is dying until the old lady has left - he is sad when he realises that he is dying because there are lots of things he hasn't done - is brave/ has "heart"

=Lesson Four = Today we began and looked at "The Last Spin". First we brainstormed Gang Prospects as a class. Next we read the story. We then looked at Gang Hierarchy after this five questions where put up on the board for us as a class to answer; 1. What are the names of the two main characters? 2. What do each of them wear? 3. Do we know the names of the gangs they are in? 4. What is the name of the game they are playing? How is it played? 5. Why are they playing it?

Once you have completed this write a paragraph plot summary of this short story.

Lesson Five
Today we started off with a plot summary. Then each of us got given a group number and joined up into these groups. We got given a list of questions to answers. These were:

__Group One - Tigo__ - what does he look like? - how old do you think he is? Why? - what does he think about guns? - what does he think (deep down) about other gang members? - does __he__ think he's brave? Why/ why not? - what does he think about Danny at the start of the story?

__Group Two - Tigo__ - how many people are in his family? - what is his girlfriend's name? - what does she look like? - does Danny think he's brave? Why/ wht not? - what does he think about some of the things that the gangs do? - where did he go once with his girlfriend? - what does he think about danny by the end of the story?

__Group 3 - Danny__ - what does he look like? - how many people are in his family? - where does his family come from? - what does he think (deep down) about other gang members? - does __he__ think he's brave? why/ why not? - what does he think of Tigo by the end of the story?

__Group 4 - Danny__ - what does he think of Tigo at the start of the story? - how old do you think he is? Why? Where was his mother born? - what does she look like? - what does he think about guns? does Tigo think he's brave? Why/ why not?

Each students got given a role. - note taker - story custodian - Reporter We then answered the questions in our groups and made class notes.

Lesson Six
Themes At the beginning of the story Danny hates Tigo because Tigo is from an enemy gang. Tigo is from an enemy gang. Tigo was his enemy the jacket shrieked “Enemy, Enemy" “You got to admit to your boys you shouldn’t have come into our territory last night.” Tigo has a different coloured jacket from Danny. This alone is enough for Danny to know he hates Tigo. This alone is enough for Danny to know he hates Tigo. As the story progresses however, Tigo and Danny find that they have things in common. These are: They are both in gangs, both have a sister, they both have heart, they both think the gun is a nice piece, they both have ‘chicks’, they both want to leave the gang they are in, they are both nervous about shooting the gun, they both want to join the army but are too young, they both admit they are turkey, they both have a similar sense of humor, refer to Russian Roulette as a good way to loose weight or a “diet”, they both say old lady instead of mum and they both know Juana. They also start talking about; going to the lake, their girls, what the gangs do to others “Don’t you wonder what your doing stamping some guy in the street”, where they are from and leaving the gangs” screw the clubs”. In between talking about these things they take turns to spin the cylinder of the gun and to pull the trigger. They share their relief when the gun does not fire. By the end of the story they become friends and they are no longer enemies. They see each other as individuals. At the start of the story they are seeing each other as stereotypes. This shows us that one of the main ideas in the story is that it is important to see people as individuals not just members of a group. We then wrote a paragraph of about 100 words: What we think the ideas in the story are.