Stop the Sun By

Gary Paulsen

Page 49

Focus Your Reading

• Theme – moral, meaning, or message that a writer wishes to convey

• Pay attention to the lessons the main character learns

• Think about Terry’s experience with his father and the lesson Terry learns about life

Reading Log

• Readers make connections to the text by asking themselves how their own experiences are similar to or different from the ones they are reading about.

• Create a chart in which you compare how Terry relates to his parents with how you relate to yours.

Words to Know

• chant

• dry

• founder

• inert

• persist

Theme

• Main message, moral , meaning of story

• Often implied – not directly stated

• Gather clues , including key statements and phrases, repeated ideas and lessons learned by the main character.– “It occurred to me that Raymond would make

a very fine runner.” • Lesson learned by Squeaky

Cause and Effect in Plot

• Helps move plot along

• Event that makes another event happen is cause

• Second event is effect

Character Motivation and Reaction

• The reasons a character thinks, feels, or acts in certain ways

• Identify a passage in the text that reveals what motivates Terry to want to know about his father’s Vietnam experience.

Plot

• Exposition, rising action, complications, climax, falling action, resolution

• Determine the events of the rising action, climax, and falling action in “Stop the Sun.”

Recurring Themes Across Works

• Several pieces of literature may share a common theme

• Of the following statements, which one applies to both “Raymond’s Run” and “Stop the Sun”?– Growing up means learning to understand the

abilities and limitations of others.– Enemies can become friends.– Understanding brings tolerance.

Think Critically

• Because the war took place before Terry’s parents were married, Terry’s father thinks that the war has “nothing to do with this family.” Why do you think he feels this way?

• What important discovery has Terry made by the end of the story?

• In your Reader’s Log you were asked to compare Terry’s experiences with your own. Summarize your observations. How are your experiences similar to Terry’s? How are they different?

Grammar in Context

• Predicate Nouns and Predicate Adjectives– Follow linking verbs

• Is, am, are, was, were, appear, feel, …

• Complete each sentence starter on p. 58 with a predicate noun or predicate adjective– Terry’s mother became– Mr. Carlson seemed– Terry’s father looked– The rain felt– Petey Kressler was

Writing

• Father’s Day Card– Write a Father’s Day message from Terry to

his father that reflects Terry’s new understanding. Think of the story’s theme as you prepare your message.

Tomorrow

• Quiz over “Stop the Sun”

• Reread the short story tonight

• Study the vocabulary words