"The Dentist" & "Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong"

• Engels
• Upper Secondary (Key Stage 4)
• GCSE

Lesson objectives 

You will show your understanding of "Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong" 

You will compare two characters and collect quotations 

You will construct a comparative paragraph 

The event of Curt Lemon's death is explored several times throughout this chapter in a non-linear narrative style. 

1. In your groups, sort the description of Lemon's death into a chronological telling of the events. Some events are repeated. 

2. Discuss, in your group, what the effect is of the non-linear narrative style? Why did the author choose to write the event in this way? 

3. Write your findings in your exercise book. 

Groups, chapters and dates  

Night

Wednesday 12th March 

Ayla, Cia, Sophia - Speaking of Courage 

Symon, Mert, Elias - Notes 

Janna, Keesje, Lisa - In the Field 

Marlene, Liv, Mila - Good Form 

Thursday 13th March 

Bade, Oya, Dasha - Field Trip 

Nishtha, Alexandra - The Ghost Soldiers 

Mijntje, Constance, Ashwika - Night Life 

Sonny, Alessandro, Ilias - The Lives of the Dead

 

Word of the day

Emulate (vb) - to try to equal by imitating. 

Use emulate in your own sentence that shows your understanding of the word. 

Many teenagers try to emulate their favourite influencers by copying their fashions. 

1. What happens the first time Curt Lemon goes to the dentist?

2. How does Curt Lemon redeem himself later?

What is the effect of having "The Dentist" placed after the description of Curt Lemon's death? 

Rate the word 1 to 4

1. I do not know the word, and I have never seen it before. 

2. I've heard or seen the word before, but I'm not sure what it means. 

3. I know the word and can recognise and understand it while reading, but I probably wouldn't feel comfortable using it in writing or speech. 

4. I know the word well and can use it correctly in writing or speech. 

Abstain 

Word of the day

Abstain (v) - to stop oneself from doing something, to refrain. To hold off from

Write three antonyms for abstain 

A growing number of people are attempting a "Dry January" during which they abstain from alcohol to see if it improves their health. 

continue, accept, embrace, encourage, use, want, meet, face 

3. How is Mary Anne Bell dressed when she arrives?

How does this image relate to the reading you have done? Write your answers. 

Culottes

4. What is military life like in the small medical detachment near the village of Tra Bong?

5. What medical procedure do the medics perform most often?

6. What are the Greenies, and how many are there?

7. How does Mary Anne respond to the casualties as they come in?

7. How does Mary Anne respond to the casualties as they come in?

8. Where is Mary Anne the night Mark Fossie can’t find her?

9. What is the agreement that Mark Fossie and Mary Anne come to?

10. Describe Mary Anne’s jewellery.

Lesson objectives 

You will compare two characters and collect quotations 

You will construct a comparative paragraph using comparative language 

Considering content of "Church" and "Stockings" 

Look at descriptive language in "The Man I Killed" 

Rate the word 1 to 4

1. I do not know the word, and I have never seen it before. 

2. I've heard or seen the word before, but I'm not sure what it means. 

3. I know the word and can recognise and understand it while reading, but I probably wouldn't feel comfortable using it in writing or speech. 

4. I know the word well and can use it correctly in writing or speech. 

Fortissimo 

Word of the day

Fortissimo (adj) - a very loud passage, sound, or tone

Can you write down two antonyms for fortissimo? 

soft, quiet, pianissimo, inaudible, muted, hushed

The pianist plays fortissimo at one point in the finale of the Rachmaninoff.

Concepts HL Lang Lit 

The Things they Carried

Concepts: 

friendship or relationships, trauma, storytelling, responsibility, guilt

Mary Anne & The Greenies

 Using the chapter “Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong,” collect direct quotations for each category given below. Make the table in your exercise book. 

Mary Anne	The Greenies
Physical description	Physical description
Personality /values/outlook	Personality/values/outlook

Mary Anne	The Greenies
Physical description	Physical description
"a tall, big-boned blonde " "long white legs and blue eyes and a complexion like strawberry ice cream" "Pretty " "too wide in the shoulders, maybe, but she had terrific legs " "Happy smile " "cut-off blue jeans and a black swimsuit top " "This seventeen-year-old doll in her goddamn culottes, perky and fresh-faced like a cheerleader visiting the opposing team's locker room."	"six grungy, weirded-out Green Berets" "They moved like shadows"

Mary Anne	The Greenies
Personality/values/outlook	Personality/values/outlook
"The girl seemed tired and somewhat lost, but she smiled very friendly" "they mooned over each other. Always holding hands, always laughing over some private joke bubbly personality" "liked to dance to music from Rat’s portable tape deck" "At times she gave off a kind of come get me energy, coy and flirtatious" "She was curious about things" "She had a good quick mind. She paid attention." "D cup guts, trainer bra brains" "This seventeen year old doll in her goddamn culottes, perky and fresh faced, like a cheerleader visiting the opposing team’s locker room"	"The Greenies were not social animals. " "Secretive and suspicious, loners by nature, the six Greenies would sometimes vanish for days at a time, or even weeks . . . "

ARVN

The Army of the Republic of Vietnam

Lesson objectives 

You will construct a comparative paragraph 

You will receive information about chapter teaching

You will work in groups of 3 or 2 to read and prepare your chapter teaching presentation 

ARVN

The Army of the Republic of Vietnam

linking words and phrases 
When ideas are shifting, offer the reader signposts to show how the arguments are linked together.

When moving from comparison to contrast, use words and phrases like:

although, however, otherwise, unlike, whereas, yet, conversely, on the contrary, still, nevertheless, regardless, despite, even though, at the same time, on the one hand, and on the other hand.

When comparing, use words and phrases like: 
both, similar to, also, similarly, likewise, in the same way, in common with, compared to, and as well as.

Write two paragraphs comparing and contrasting Mary Anne at the start of the chapter to the Greenies. 

The topic sentences drive the content of your paragraphs. Make sure that it includes a debatable topic and the main insightful idea that you will support using evidence from the chapter. In the body of your paragraph you must consider why (effect on the reader) that the author has made the choices that you have focused on. Remember it is the author who makes the choices not the character. 

Concepts HL Lang Lit 

The Things they Carried

Concepts we generated: 

friendship or relationships, trauma, tragedy, responsibility, love

Read "The Man I Killed"