Post your question in the "Comments" section below. Use my posts as a guide. Do I ask my question in just one sentence? No! Remember, you've got to make your questions dynamic enough that your classmates will have something to respond to meaningfully.
Melody had a pet fish, Ollie, which died. It swam down in his bowl, jumped out, and obviously wasn't able to breathe. This is also on the cover, so why does this relate to Melody's disabilities?
ReplyDeleteLike Ollie, Melody was a fish in a bowl. She was just a shell of what she could be. Ollie wanted to be free. Melody talks about just wanting to be "normal". She can't move around, well barely. Ollie stays in a tiny bowl, while he could be in the ocean, and not in a cage. Melody is totally dependent on other people to keep her alive. She can't even feed herself or walk around. Ollie is the same way. They relate a lot and that's why the author included Ollie, and why she put him on the cover. She is telling us through this character that Melody is a fish out of water and all she wants is to be free.
DeleteGreat question Ethan! I'll do my best to answer it!
DeleteMelody is similar to her passed away fish Ollie in that they have both been in a "captured" state. For example, Melody says that poor Ollie has to swim around in that small little bowl 24/7. This is similar to how Melody is in H5 for every grade, every year. This is why Melody is understanding of why Ollie had to die.
Also, it's similar to the fact that Melody's words are trapped inside her head. Ollie jumps out of the bowl to escape being trapped.
PREDICTION: Sharon M. Draper probably put this into the story to reference Melody being able to talk in the end! (hopefully!)
Both of the two have similar experiences, and this is why Melody understands why he wanted to hurl himself out of the bowl.
~Mason Wasserman
I think the cover relates to Melody's disabilities because when you are a fish out of water, it means that you are helpless. In the book, Melody is sort of helpless in the sense that the has disabilities such as not being able to control her body and that she can't talk.
DeleteI think this relates to Melody because she wants to be like everybody else and walk and talk. I think Melody is the fish, and she cant do anything but sit in her bowl and watch everyone else. I think Melody does not like life, nor does the goldfish, who is isolated in it's bowl.
DeleteMelody has a little sister Penny. Since Penny can talk and walk how do you think this really makes Melody? How would you feel if your sibling could do stuff you could not? Why don't you think Melody talks about there differences as much?
ReplyDeleteI would love to her your answers
~ Maggie Masuret
I think this really makes Melody feel like she is a let down to her family and is disappointed. I think it makes her feel like she is a let down because she has to be cared for more than Penny even considering that she is a toddler. She thinks that this could make her family think less of her and that she doesn't have as much potential than Penny. I assumed she really feels disappointed because she wants to be like Penny, but she can't, so she is disappointed. If I had a sibling who could do stuff that I couldn't I would feel angry. I would be thinking "Why in the world has this happened to ME!?" I DEFINITELY wouldn't want it to happen to my sibling, but what would be the chances of me, of all the people in the world, to have these disabilities. Yet, I would also feel happy for my sibling that he/she doesn't have any problems. I think Melody doesn't talk about their differences as much because she doesn't want to keep reminding herself that she is not what she calls "normal" ( even though everyone has their problem stuff in their life). That's what I would try to do, too: not think about it. (By the way, Maggie, thanks for writing a good question that you have to put some thought into to answer!!!)
Delete~ Ethan Doty
I think that seeing Penny do all the things she can't do probably makes a little left out and jealous. She is jealous because Seeing something that she has been dreaming to do would probably make me jealous and angry. Also knowing that you will never do it too. If I saw my siblings do all of that stuff I would be so mad and I would just want to cry. I would want them to feel what it would be like to sit in a wheel chair all day long. That's probably what Melody is thinking. She is Also happy for Penny. Seeing her baby sister grow up and experience all of the basic baby things. That's why she talks about all of their differences because she is happy and sad. Nice question Maggie! It took some thinking!
Delete~Kathleen Murray
I think it makes Melody feel disappointed and heartbroken. I agree with Ethan that she feels that her family thinks she is a let down. I mean I would think I'm a let down because I would be so much work and i'm 11. If my family the were like this then I would feel heartbroken, furious, and a let down. I would feel heartbroken because I know I would never be able to do that and I would never be "normal". I would be furious because it happened to me and me ONLY. I could feel like a let down because there's me that can't speak and can't control my body and my perfect little brother/sister sitting next to me that would be standing by three and crawling at two. Again I agree with Ethan that I would be happy for my sibling that he/she wouldn't go through that and never will go through it. I don't think Melody talks about it much is because she would just feel more sorry and more sorrowful.
Delete~Ella Bast
Yes, maybe Ollie has something to do with Melodies disability. When I first read this I was petrified ( i love animals) But then I read it over and over and looking at the cover i realized that maybe when Ollie jumped out of the tank or bowl he was showing that, that was what Melody represented. Ollie was probably not happy with circling in his bowl constantly all day long, so he did something exhilarating! Something that made his scales shiver at the thought of it. I had a thought that maybe Ollie will influence Melody to do something with her life, do something that will make her shiver at the thought, just like Ollie!!!!!
ReplyDelete(Ollie's action was awesome)
~ Maggie Masuret
Great prediction. I didn't think of that! I agree that Ollie is cool dude.
DeleteMelody has disabilities and that makes her see life a different way. Do you think she would see her life differently if she didn't have disabilities? How so?Would she think differently about her classmates in 5H?
ReplyDeleteI think Melody would see life in a different way if she didn’t have disabilities. She would be able to do a lot more than she can do now. She would be able to run, jump and play with her classmates. I think she would be able to make more friends if she did not have disabilities. She would be able to communicate with her classmates. I think she would think differently about her classmates in H5. I think this because she would be like everyone else in the school, who doesn’t talk to them or interact with them because they have disabilities.
DeleteOK, my question is a bit similar to Maggie's :) But during school I came up with this question.
ReplyDeleteMelody mentions that she get's sick watching her young sister Penny grow up. Why do you think she feels this way about her? Also, how would you feel if you were Melody in this situation?
~Mason Wasserman
In my opinion, Melody feels this way towards penny because she is a perfect child with no disabilities. Even though Penny doesn't mean to, in Melody's perspective she is almost rubbing in the fact that she has nothing wrong with her. just watching penny talk or do stuff independently reminds melody of the stuff that she can't do and often she gets pretty annoyed at that! On the other hand, Melody does like her sister (I hope!) its just again, the fact that she is capable of doing stuff that melody can only dream of (nothing personal about penny). Likewise, I can understand why melody feels this way. If i was in her shoes, i would find having a perfect sibling a little on the annoying side, but i would still love he/she as one of my family members. (btw nice question!)
DeleteDo you think Melody ever is jealous of Penny? If you answered yes, what do you think Melody is jealous of?
ReplyDeleteIf you could answer my post that would make me feel amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(p.s. I know my post is the same idea of Maggie and Mason's posts (which are quite amazing questions) but this is what came to mind when I was reading.)
Yes I do think Melody is sort of jealous of Penny and hears why. Melody is a disabled girl who can't speak or move really. Penny is a normal girl that can do everything that Melody can't and I think Melody is jealous of that. I think everybody here that has a sibling has gotten jealous at least once because your brother or sister can do something that you can't do.
DeleteI do think that Melody sometimes gets jealous of the abilities that Penny has but she doesn't. Although she mentions in the book that she is sick of watching Penny grow up "normally" she also mentions that she is glad she doesn't have to worry about the same challenges Melody has to face. I think that she is mostly jealous of the fact that Penny has the ability to walk and talk, the two challenges Melody has to put up with the most. But she is also jealous of Penny’s relationship with their mom especially because Penny has those abilities.
DeleteMelody got really upset when Mrs. Billups started to go over the alphabet for like the millionth time. Would you do the same thing if your teacher did that? If so why? Explain
ReplyDeleteYes this would annoy me so much I would probably quit school and learn with Mrs. V. This would annoy me so much because she is in 3rd grade and that is kindergarten curriculum. Melody probably knows the alphabet better than the Ms. Billups herself. I know I could say the alphabet no problem in 3rd grade and if Melody could talk she could probably say it backwards as well
DeleteIf I was in Melody's place for school, I would have more "tornado explosions" than you can count. This would annoy me so much! I can't believe Melody has to put up with this stuff! I agree with Tim in saying that she probably knows the alphabet better than Ms. Billups ( which is kind of insulting since she is the teacher, but it is very, very true). On the other hand, since she can not take action herself, I think she should pull the " tornado explosions" on the subs for the rest of the year so that her mom can come in enough times to figure out this is not the correct education for Melody. ( There are subs for the rest of the year because Ms. Billups quite!!! Ha, I guess she really couldn't teach kids that she thought were dumber than her!) I really feel worse and worse for Melody every page I turn in this story because she is so dependent on everyone in her life, but she can't control it.:( I hope that she starts getting things turned in her direction soon.
DeleteP.S. I loved that question Jake because it was really detailed and made me stop and think before I wrote this.
~ Hannah Callanan
Yes I would get really annoyed like Melody did because its like when you keep hearing the same story over and over and over and it just drives you crazy that you start flipping out. So it would drive me to no end if my teacher kept doing that. And also that is stuff you learn in preschool and kindergarten not third grade and for melody she seams very advanced for her age reading harder books for her grade. So yes it would drive me absolutely crazy.
Delete-Henry Ball
Melody and her mom have a special connection where they can tell what each other need, want, or feel. Describe why you think they have this connection and how it works. Do you think Melody and Penny will develop the same kind of connection? Why or why not?
ReplyDelete~Sarah Grozier
Melody's mother is very protective of her and her education. Do you think her mother is doing a good job? If not, do you think she could do a better way, and why?
ReplyDeleteIn Chapter 6 Mrs. V asked Melody if she would rather walk or talk. She chose talk as her answer. Why do you think that was her answer? Use evidence from the book to support your answer.
ReplyDeleteIn the story "water" from Helen Keller, Helen and Melody both face some tough obstacles. Name some of these challenges and how both of these characters are alike and different. Also, what if Mrs.Sullivan (Helen's teacher) was to run Melody's H5 classroom. Do you think this would benefit Melody? If so in what ways (physically and/or mentally).Explain
ReplyDeleteHelen Keller and Melody both face hardships and obstacles. A challenge they faced was that they could not talk. This must have been very difficult for both of them. Neither of them can express their emotions, thoughts, or feelings. But between these two people, their are some differences. Unlike Melody, Helen Keller can't talk see, or hear. Since she cannot see, hear, or talk, her other senses are stronger, which allows her to have a very strong sense of touch. This helps her to read by feeling the design on a paper. This was a special way of communicating. On the other hand, Melody can see and hear. If Mrs. Sullivan was to run Room H-5, I think Melody would be more excited to go to school every day. Instead of preschool lessons, she would have lessons that would be just right for her. She would be challenged just like how Mrs. V challenges her. In addition, she would increase her knowledge of the world and other subjects, like how Ann Sullivan taught Helen Keller that words mean something. Of course Melody knows that already, but she would be filled with a variety of words. Also, I think that Ann Sullivan would be focused on what's really inside of Melody. Unlike other teachers, she would be focused on the abilities she has then the things she can't do. If I were Melody, I want Ann Sullivan as a teacher much, much more than the teachers who originally ran Room H-5.
DeleteMelody's sister Penny seems to be growing up just fine and "normal". How do you think Melody may really feel about her sister Penny and how she is able to do things that again, "normal" kids do? How would you feel if you were Melody and why?
ReplyDelete~ Makena Winters
Put your self in Melody's shoes. Think about how you would feel if your parents had Penny? And remember that it was just your self and your parents. Explain.
ReplyDeleteI would feel (If i were in Melody's shoes) maybe a bit jealous of Penny because she is considered a "normal" child and is learning to talk and walk or even do simple things Melody can't do. It would make me feel very very VERY happy for her that she would not have to go through the experiences that I (Melody) did. I would also be very happy and exited myself because it fun to have a new addition to the family! I would love Penny with all my heart as a older sister even if I was a bot jealous of how easy things are for her. Its also fun to have a sister to do things with when your older. I myself would also accept (like Melody) that things are the way they are with a baby and that they require more attention. Melody also knows what it feels like to be babied from experience herself so she would know what needed to be required with the baby too.
DeleteMelody got a puppy for her eighth birthday. Why do you think her parents decided to get her a puppy? Do you think her parents knew Penny was coming? If you say no to the last question, do you think they still would have gotten the puppy for Melody if her parents knew about the new baby? Explain your thinking.
ReplyDeleteSo far in the book, have you noticed any connections with Melody? If so, what connections are you thinking of? Do you have a connection with some of the obstacles she faces? What about life at home? Do you ever get jealous of your siblings? Describe some of these connections or other connections you may feel.
ReplyDeleteMelody’s sister Penny does not have any disabilities. She can walk and talk and play little a normal little baby. Do you think that Melody is jealous or mad at her baby sister because she has these abilities but Melody does not? Why or why not? (I realize this is similar to a lot of others questions but I think it is a very good question to ask.)
ReplyDeleteWhen Melody got her dog, Butterscotch, do you think that is what she really wanted to name her? It says she wanted to shriek when her mom said she thought she wanted to call her Butterscotch. Do you think that it was a good
ReplyDeleteshriek or a bad shriek? Also, how do you think Melody felt when Butterscotch got her mom's attention when she fell on the floor? Create your own ideas and be specific!
* I can't wait to see these answers!!!
Okay! It's time for me to make a prediction! I predict that Melody is going to get a computer thing that lets Melody type in words and the computer will say them out loud. It would be sort of like Steven Hawking's computer!(Even though I have read the book I don't remember much.) Do you agree with my prediction? Why or why no? If yes use evidence as a back-up to your answer. Do you have any other predictions? If so what would they be?
ReplyDelete~ Ella Bast
When Melody went to the Doctor to see how smart she was do you think that the doctor was doing a good job doing his job?Also do you think Melody's mom had the right reaction when the doctor told her the news? If so explain your answer?
ReplyDelete- Henry Ball
I think Butterscotch is what she really wanted to name her dog because she said that she wanted to shriek, like she usually does when someone figures out what she is trying to say, but the puppy was on her lap and she didn't want to knock the puppy off of her lap. Also, she wanted to name her puppy after her favorite candy, butterscotch caramels. I think at first Melody didn't want to bother her mother while she was taking a nap, but when Butterscotch decided to help her and get Melody's mother for her, she felt relieved. Melody was probably very uncomfortable just sitting there, unable to see her favorite part of the movie. At least Butterscotch was there to make a great pillow for her!! If I was Melody, I would definitely not want to be sitting on the ground, staring at the floor while the Wizard of Oz is playing!!
ReplyDelete~Madison Soucey