Life As We Know It - Chapter 5

The school year is ending abruptly for Miranda and her friends in chapter five. I'm sure some of you are tempted to root for a meteor to hit the moon in real life so you do not have Regents Exams this June! However, this is just one more example of how Miranda and the rest of humanity have had their lives turned upside down.

A lot of issues arose this chapter. Questions of rationing, religion, depression and striking a balance between helping others and looking out for yourself.

1. Why does it bother Miranda so much that Megan gives away half her sandwich during lunch (p. 65)?
   


2. How does Miranda feel about Megan's new found religious beliefs (p. 68-69)? Based on the first five chapters, why do you think Megan has become so religious? Do you think its affecting her ability to make good decisions concerning her self and her relationship with others?
   
   
3. Electricity is something we more or less take for granted. As we see today in places like Iraq [as a result of the war], inconsistent electric service can have a substantial impact on people's lives. What if the Rochester area was faced with limited to no electric service for several months? How would you cope?

Please provide FREDs (facts, reasons, examples and details) to support your response!

Life As We Knew It - Chapter 4

1. How would you descrbe Miranda's relationship with her brothers, Matt and Jonny?
   
   
2. How has the moon affected weather around the world? How has it effected life locally in Miranda's community?
   
   
3. Why is there National Day of Mourning?
   
   
4. In this chapter, gasoline has reached $9 a gallon. When gas topped $4 a gallon locally last year, it was a burden for many people. How would a sudden spike in fuel to $9 affect your family? Ask your parents if you are unsure.
   

Life As We Knew It - Chapter 3

A reminder: remember to answer these blog questions in complete sentences with sufficient supporting details. It may be appropriate to answer a question with more than one sentence. Proofread your comments; self-advocate for help if you need assistance with spelling and punctuation!

1. What changes does Miranda notice in people immediately after the meteor strike?
2. What does Miranda experience at the supermarket that makes her think things have changed for the worse (p. 35-38).
3. Was Miranda's mother only concerned with providing for her family? Why or why not?
   
4. If a natural disaster hit Rochester and you would be without electricity for several weeks, what would be the ten things you would want to get from Wegmans? What problems would you suspect you would have acquiring these things?
   

Life as We Knew It - Chapter 2

1. The meteor has struck the moon. Describe the change in people's behavior before and after the the meteor impacted the moon.
   



2. What has happened to the moon? Describe the change.
   



3. What has happened to the coastal cities? Based on what you know about the moon, why has this happened?
   



4. After the collision, Miranda feels that "Civilization has ended" (p. 21). Why? Are the tools she talks about indispensable to our civilization?

Life as We Knew It - Chapter 1

The next book we will be reading is Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer. For this particular book, we will be answering our homework questions via our class Blog. However, there still may be other class assignments in written form.

On the tool bar in the right column, you will find links to chapter summaries based on the book. On my website, you will find additional helpful links.

The Harcourt Publishing discussion guide describes Life as We Knew It as:

Miranda’s disbelief turns to fear in a split second when a meteor knocks the moon closer to the earth. How should her family prepare for the future when worldwide tsunamis wipe out the coasts, earthquakes rock the continents, and volcanic ash blocks out the sun? As summer turns to Arctic winter, Miranda, her two brothers, and their mother retreat to the unexpected safe haven of their sunroom, where they subsist on stockpiled food and limited water in the warmth of a wood-burning stove.

Told in journal entries, this is the heart-pounding story of Miranda’s struggle to hold on to the most important resource of all—hope—in an increasingly desperate and unfamiliar world.

We will begin our reading during the Spring Season with Chapter One. After reading the chapter as a class, please answer the following questions in the chapter comments:

1. Before the meteor hits, what were the biggest concerns in Miranda's life?


2. How does Becky's death affect the relationship between Miranda, Megan and Sammi?


3. Your Opinion: Miranda seems primarily concerned with the homework demands associated with the news that a meteor will be hitting the moon and not the consequences of the event for the people of Earth. When you here of a possible dangerous weather event happening in the Rochester area, what is your reaction to the news? Why?

Survival Plan

Your mission, whether or not you chose to except it, is to create a survival plan for your family. What supplies would your family need in the event of a natural disaster? What will each family member need to know (i.e. a meeting place, etc.)

Directions: Post your survival plan (a Power Point that may include videos, pictures, etc. -- ask Mr. Hermance for help if you need to). What supplies, tips/strategies, etc. would your family need to survive a natural disaster.

After each person has posted their survival plan, each one of you will go to the comments section and leave feedback. Will their plan be successful? What suggestions do you have? Did they forget anything?

Your Power Point will need to be uploaded to slideshare.net.

Helpful links:

• Popular Mechanics: Natural Disaster Recovery
• Popular Mechanics: Survival Checklist (PDF)
• Center for Disease Control: Disasters
• FEMA: Are you ready?
• FEMA for Kids: The Disaster Area
• Health and Human Services: Disasters and Emergencies
• National Council for Natural Disaster Preparedness
• You are not limited to these links.

My expectations are that your plan will be explained in complete sentences and in your own words. Plagiarism will result in a zero for this assignment. It is also an expectation that you proof read your response to ensure correct grammar, spelling and punctuation. Blogger has a spell check tool. As you approach the end of your ninth grade year, it is also an expectation that you will independently self-advocate to Mr. Hermance if you need help with any part of this assignment or utilizing the blog.