Discussion: What did you discover about Knowles’s experience at Exeter? How did the war effect student life during this time period? From there, we will read the first part of chapter one together, examining the setting and language that Knowles uses to establish his tone.
HW: Finish reading chapter one. Pay careful attention to how the author describes the events at the tree, the jumping contest that Finny creates and pushes his friends to partake in: What do you make of this game? When and where have you encountered this same type of peer pressure?

Grade reports. I will collect missing work, making corrections as needed. We will also spend time discussing annotation, looking at your notes on “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas,” and collecting your annotations on “The Machine Stops” and “Chelkash.” Discussion on annotation.
HW: Re-read chapter one, checking your annotations.

Finalizing 1st quarter grade reports. Then discussing last night’s annotations, emblems, and Finny’s choice of a pink shirt as an emblem. Why does Finny speak about whatever he thinks? And why does he show surprise when people are shocked by his frank observations?

Examining the color pink. Brainstorming ideas for your emblem. How does Finny push boundaries, a “calm ignorance of the rules,” while at the same time being a model student? And how do the boys remind the faculty “what peace was like”? How does Finny embody “this careless peace”?
HW: Read chapter three.

How does Finny confound social order? He both follows and defies Devon’s rules, walking the line between disrespect for teacher’s authority and embracing the school’s zeitgeist. How does Finny do both? In class writing day. Your paragraph should be posted by the end of class today.
HW: Read chapter four.