INTRO TO THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES English III
Before Class Begins… Turn in your cell phones without complaining to the phone basket. Make a large circle with the desks. (Socratic-Seminar style!) Have Sue Monk Kidd’s The Secret Life of Bees, your reading schedule, and your JOURNALS on your desk.
Sue Monk Kidd’s The Secret Life of Bees “The tale of one motherless daughter’s discovery of what family really means—and of the strange and wondrous places we find love.” –The Washington Post “You’ll want to tear through the pages. Restrain yourself. The beautiful language and seamless unfolding of this well-written story deserve more. [It] merits sweet time and savoring.” –Southern Living This novel is set in South Carolina in 1964 and tells the story of young Lily Owens, a sweet motherless murderer.
Annotation Instructions While you are reading, identify and comment on: Interesting quotes. Questions and reactions. Possible symbolism. Quotes that reveal the search for identity and the coming of age. Quotes that exemplify the American Dream. Identify and comment on quotes and instances that reveal aspects of: Prejudice or racism Resilience of the human spirit Parental relationships Importance of literacy and hard work Men vs. Women
Reading Circle Expectations Take this distraction-free time to sit down, relax, and enjoy a good book. Absolutely no side conversations. If you are called on to read for popcorn-style reading, no arguments or complaints. JUST READ. Keep it fluent and interesting. Read in an engaging voice. Please do not be monotone. Annotate as we read. See your bookmark for the annotation instructions.
Journal 4/24 – Ch. 1 of Secret Life of Bees #1. Stop and make a prediction. “The afternoon my mother died, there was a suitcase open on the floor, sitting near the struck window. She moved in and out of the closet, dropping this and that into the suitcase, not bothering to fold them” (Kidd 6). Use specific quotes and in-text citations from the novel to describe and support your prediction.
Journal 4/24 – Ch. 1 of Secret Life of Bees #2. Write the story that you see in the picture that Lily describes. Use sensory details and imagery to tell your story. “You could not believe the stories I saw in that picture” (Kidd 13).
#3.What story does this picture tell?
Journal 4/24 – Ch. 1 of Secret Life of Bees “For two years now I’d kept these things of hers inside a tin box, buried in the orchard” (Kidd 14) #4. What would you keep in your tin box? Explain why you would hold on to each item in your box. You may draw pictures to go along with your description. “I wanted to go to every place she had ever been” (Kidd 15). #5. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? Why?
Journal 4/24 – Ch. 1 of Secret Life of Bees #6. Record your overall reaction to this chapter. Compare and contrast Lily and Rosaleen. Write three adjectives that describe each character.
Homework for Tuesday, April 29 th Read and annotate chapters 2 and 3 of Sue Monk Kidd’s The Secret Life of Bees.