Bellwork for April 29, 2014 Take a booklet and a notecard from the back counter. Write in your agenda. Respond to the following question on your notecard: Do you agree or disagree with the following quote from Hoot? Explain your answer in two to three complete sentences. “Sometimes you're going to be faced with situations where the line isn't clear between what's right and what's wrong. Your heart will tell you to do one thing and your brain will tell you to do something different. In the end, all that's left is to look at both sides and go with your best judgment.”

Carl Hiaasen Carl Hiaasen has been writing about Florida since his father gave him a typewriter at age 6. Back then, he wrote hunt-and-peck stories about neighborhood kickball and softball games. Today, Hiaasen is the author of many bestselling novels, including Basket Case and Skinny Dip. Hiaasen's novels have been published in 29 languages, which is 28 more than he can read or write! In addition to writing novels, Hiaasen also writes a newspaper column for The Miami Herald, and he has published two collections of his columns. How does he balance writing the newspaper columns and the novels? "Easy," Hiaasen says. "You write every waking hour and have no life. Actually, the jobs complement each other. In a place as wild as South Florida, true-life events are almost too big and too weird to be dealt with appropriately in a newspaper. The journalism feeds the imagination, which feeds the fiction. As for keeping a schedule, it's pretty simple: Two days a week I write for The Miami Herald, and the rest of the time I'm working on novels or magazine articles. Or fishing." Hoot, Hiaasen's first novel for young readers, was the recipient of numerous awards, including the prestigious Newbery Honor. The movie version of Hoot will hit U.S. theaters in Spring 2006.

Carl Hiaasen on Writing Answer the following questions in complete sentences. 1.What inspired Hiaasen to become a writer? 2.Write three pieces of advice Hiaasen gives to aspiring writers. 3.How is Hiaasen’s writing process different from other authors? 4.What does Hiaasen mean by the following quote: “Writing is one of the loneliest and most solitary jobs you could have, but it’s also one of the most rewarding.”

Definitions 1.Ambush- (verb) A sudden attack made from a concealed position. 2.Skeptical- (adj.) Marked by or given to doubt; questioning. 3.Consternation- (noun) a sudden, alarming amazement or dread that results in utter confusion; dismay. 4.Snidely- (adv.) Said in a derogatory in a malicious, superior way. 5.Disgruntled- (adj.) Feeling or expressing discontent or anger. 6.Assertive- (adj.) Inclined to bold or confident assertion; aggressively self-assured.

7. Altercation- (noun) An angry or heated discussion or quarrel; argument. 8. Noncommittal- (adj.) (of a person or a person's behavior) Not expressing or revealing commitment to a definite opinion or course of action. 9. Scabrous- (adj.) Rough and covered with, or as if with, scabs. 10. Travesty- (noun) A false, absurd, or distorted representation of something. 11. Fervently- (adv.) Having or showing great emotion or zeal 12. Caustic- (adj.) Severely critical or sarcastic 13. Provoke- (verb) To anger, enrage, or exasperate. 14. Balefully- (adv.) Threatening harm; menacing.

Pre-reading questions for Hoot by Carl Hiaasen Choose THREE questions below to answer. Make sure you answer the question in a paragraph. Make sure that you have details to support your opinion. (This will be taken up in 15 minutes. It is worth 15 points – 5 for each paragraph) 1.Have you ever fought for something you believe in? 2.How might you approach someone that is being a bully? 3.What might inspire a person to challenge authority? 4.How can people balance urban growth with wildlife preservation? 5.What would it feel like to be the new kid in town?

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