1. The Things They Carried, continued Tim O’Brien

2. Do Now How would you define an honors student?

3. Objectives Make connections between what the soldiers carry and how that contributes to their character

4. Homework Complete the draft of your letter relating something you carry to 1) one of the characters in the short story and 2) someone important in your life that might share the weight of what you carry

5. The Things They Carry With a partner, take a few minutes to determine which technique O’Brien uses to tell the story

6. The Things They Carry, cont. First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross Henry Dobbins Dave Jensen Ted Lavender Mitchell Sanders Lee Strunk Norman Bowker Rat Kiley Kiowa

7. The Things They Carry, cont. In the list of all the things the soldiers carried, what item was most surprising? o Which item did you find most evocative of the war? o Which items stay with you?

8. The Things They Carry, cont. Return to the lists you made during the last class and add anything – concrete or abstract that you may have forgotten Share new ideas

9. The Things They Carry, cont. Circle three (3) of the most significant weights you carry – note that these things may represent positive or negative weight o Each item is important and has an impact on your life in some way

10. The Things They Carry, cont. Freewrite on each circled item – three (3) items total o Describe the item o Give some background information about it o Explain why you are carrying it o Explain its symbolic weight o Connect the item to someone else in your life

11. The Things They Carry, cont. Determine which two items carry the most significance or most weight

12. The Things They Carry, cont. Assignment: write a letter to someone with whom you can share the weight of one of these things you carry o Informal tone but must include details as well as solid and specific ideas  i.e. you might choose to write to your best friend to talk about the positive weight of the picture you carry of the two of you together