Home on the Mornin Train: Questioning
#_____ Name__________________________________________________ Date_____________________
Home on the
MorninÕ Train Line of
Inquiry
1. What do you
notice about the work of art (WOA)?
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Intertwining
stories
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Songs:
sing-able, emotional impact, balance (3 with each story, 1 shared by both
stories)
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Parallels in
characters experiences in two time periods
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Switching
back and forth between stories – will help hold peopleÕs attention
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Realism
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Freedom
– humanity of the pursuit of freedom/no boundaries is the common theme
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People
seeking and giving help in both time periods. We focus on the victims and
the helpers, not the bad guys.
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Use of
dialect to switch stories and time
2. What do you
wonder about the WOA?
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Will the
characters reach their goals?
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From whom
are they running?
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How well
will we get to know the characters?
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Are the
characters based on real people?
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What happens
to Katie MaeÕs foot?
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Why did the
playwright pick these two stories for the parallel idea (as opposed to
something from more recent or current events)?
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When was the
play written (1999)
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Is the cast
from Nashville? (yes)
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Are there
children in the cast? (yes)
3. Activity Ideas That
Come to Mind
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6th grade Social Studies look for parallels – Òcommon threadsÓ
– between ancient cultures: what do they have in common? Play reinforces
that concept
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6th grade studies maps – locate characters destinations
(Sweden, Canada)
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Discussion:
What defines a hero/heroine?
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6th grade reads Number the Stars (about the Danish resistance) and Sound
the Jubilee (about
slavery). Students will be able to relate reading to the play.
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6th grade read Follow the Drinking Gourd - will relate reading to play.
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Match
familiar songs with familiar stories – how can a song support a story?
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Discussion:
How friends help you get through traumas
4. Touchstones /
Connections (curriculum
or other)
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Notice the
way cultural groups affect the outcome of history
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Accepting
differences
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Listening
& Speaking objectives – interaction and meaning in dialogue
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Math –
plotting (mapping stars)
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Timeline
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Impact of
one personÕs actions on anotherÕs life.
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Compare/Contrast
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Journaling
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Vocabulary
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Point of
view in writing: 1st person characters in play vs... 3rd person narrative
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Critical
choice making – significance of peer relationships/influence
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Heroes
(connects to upcoming Olympics in terms of sports figures)
5. Contextual
Information (to
encapsulate the discussions)
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Power
– what are the powers at play in these stories?
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Innocence
– how do these historical events look through the eyes of children?
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Belief /
Faith – what faith traditions are referred to in the stories and why?
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Nazis
– one kind of Òinvisible enemiesÓ in the story
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Level of
Motivation / Stakes – what similarities and differences do we notice
in the situations of these two groups of children? Éin their reasons for
seeking freedom?
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ManÕs
inhumanity to man – how do we guard against it?
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So we never
forget – why tell these stories?
Step C – Line of Inquiry ideas inspired
by the highlighted items in each category
1) Why is it important that we study slavery
and the Holocaust through Home on the MorninÕ Train?
2) What is the cost of freedom to the
children in Home on the MorninÕ Train?
3) What is our own personal responsibility in
life and history to mirror the actions of the heroes in Home on the MorninÕ
Train?
4) In the Home on the MorninÕ Train stories, is there a difference between
choosing freedom and having freedom chosen for you?