1. IDENTIFY THE DEVICE: Find and list at least three specific examples of sensory imagery (sight, sound, smell, taste, or touch) used to describe the garden.
2. THEME: What universal theme about nature and technology does this story explore? Write in a complete sentence.
3. ANALYSIS: How does the vivid sensory imagery of the garden contrast with Elena's screen, and how does this contrast develop the theme?
DO NOW SERIES
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DAY 3 Target Device: Personification
Liam lived in a household where anger was not just a passing emotion; it was a permanent, aggressive tenant. Anger slammed the heavy oak doors shut, rattled the windows in their metal frames, and paced back and forth down the narrow hallways in the middle of the night. It sat uninvited at the dinner table, choking out warm conversation and casting long, cold shadows over the family. Liam spent his days tiptoeing around on eggshells, constantly trying not to wake the sleeping beast. One quiet evening, Liam courageously sat down next to his father, looked him in the eyes, and simply spoke: "I am scared." Slowly, hearing those gentle words, the heavy, angry footsteps in the hallway faded, the locked doors released their grip, and the cold shadows in the room began to melt as warmth returned to the house.
1. IDENTIFY THE DEVICE: How is the emotion of anger personified in this story? What specific human-like actions does it perform?
2. THEME: What is the central, universal theme of this story? Write it as a complete sentence.
3. ANALYSIS: How does personifying anger as an unwanted household tenant help develop the story's theme about vulnerability and expression?
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DAY 4 Target Device: Satire
In the futuristic town of Scrollville, citizens were thrilled to purchase the new "Emoti-Goggles," which automatically projected floating thumbs-up emojis and bright smiley faces over every person they encountered, completely masking real-world facial expressions. Everyone agreed it was a marvelous invention; no one ever had to look at a frown, witness an anxious tear, or deal with a crying neighbor again. When Mayor Higgins' house burned entirely to the ground, citizens stood outside on the sidewalk pointing and clapping, their goggles happily projecting pink hearts and confetti over the smoky black ruins because the software interpreted "bright fire" as a festive holiday display. The citizens went home smiling, completely satisfied that their community had never been happier, even as their town slowly fell into total decay.
1. IDENTIFY THE DEVICE: How does the author use satire in this story? What modern human behavior, technological trend, or obsession is being mocked?
2. THEME: What is the central, universal theme or warning of this story? Write it as a complete sentence.
3. ANALYSIS: How does the satirical exaggeration of the goggles help deliver the author's message about true empathy versus artificial happiness?
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DAY 5 Target Device: Allusion
Marcus faced the state track finals with a heavy heart. His opponent was Leo, a runner so tall and powerful he seemed carved from marble. Leo possessed state-of-the-art running spikes, high-priced personal coaches, and a string of undefeated records. Marcus felt like young David stepping onto the battlefield to stand before Goliath, armed with nothing but his worn-out sneakers and hours of solitary practice on the dusty school track. As the starting gun cracked, Leo surged ahead with massive, confident strides, while Marcus kept his steady, determined pace. In the final, exhausting stretch, Leo, overconfident and fatigued from his sprint, began to flag. Marcus, drawing on months of quiet endurance, summoned a final burst of speed and crossed the finish line just a fraction of a second ahead of the giant.
1. IDENTIFY THE DEVICE: What famous historical, biblical, or mythological story is alluded to in this text? Explain the connection between the characters.
2. THEME: What is the central, universal theme of this story? Write it as a complete sentence.
3. ANALYSIS: How does this allusion deepen the reader's understanding of the conflict and emphasize the theme of humble perseverance?
The vivid, earthy sensory imagery (the smell of basil, the taste of juice, the feel of soil) directly contrasts with the "glowing, digital screen." This contrast highlights that technology produces an "artificial buzz," whereas nature offers tactile, grounded experiences that bring authentic quietness and stillness to the mind.
Theme Packet 2 Teacher Guide Page 1
TEACHER INSTRUCTIONAL EDITION
Packet 2 Theme & Devices
DAY 3 KEY Target Device: Personification (The Hostile Tenant)
Q1: How Anger is Personified (Human Actions)
Anger is personified as a "permanent, aggressive tenant". It performs the human-like actions of "slamming heavy oak doors," "rattling windows," "pacing back and forth in the middle of the night," and sitting "uninvited at the dinner table."
Q2: Universal Theme Statement
Exemplar: Suppressing or ignoring family anger creates a hostile environment, but expressing vulnerable emotions can disarm tension and restore family warmth. (Acceptable variant: Silence and fear feed anger, while honest vulnerability is the key to resolving emotional conflict.)
Q3: Analysis of Device to Theme
By personifying anger as a loud, active intruder, the author reveals that unexpressed anger isn't just a quiet mood—it behaves as a hostile tyrant that controls the entire household's behavior. When Liam speaks vulnerably ("I am scared"), this gentle human response literally "evicts" the personified beast: the heavy footsteps fade, the locked doors release their grip, and the frozen atmosphere melts.
DAY 4 KEY Target Device: Satire (Scrollville's Emoti-Goggles)
Q1: Satirical Target & Mocked Behaviors
The story satirizes social media filters, superficial toxic positivity, and tech-aided escapism. It mocks modern humanity's obsession with avoiding uncomfortable realities, unpleasant sights, or real human pain by substituting them with superficial, happy digital feedback.
Q2: Universal Theme Statement
Exemplar: Shielding oneself from reality through artificial positivity destroys empathy and blinds a community to its own slow destruction. (Acceptable variant: True happiness and community strength require facing and comforting real suffering, rather than masking it with digital cheer.)
Q3: Analysis of Satirical Exaggeration
The author uses absurd exaggeration—showing citizens smiling, clapping, and projecting pink hearts/confetti while the mayor's house burns to ashes—to demonstrate the danger of the goggles. This exaggeration highlights that when a society values superficial, forced happiness over reality, they lose the capacity for empathy, mutual aid, and survival.
Theme Packet 2 Teacher Guide Page 2
TEACHER INSTRUCTIONAL EDITION
Packet 2 Theme & Devices
DAY 5 KEY Target Device: Allusion (Marcus's Track Finals)
Q1: Identify the Allusion & Connections
The text alludes to the ancient biblical story of David and Goliath. Marcus represents the small, under-equipped underdog David (armed with worn-out sneakers), while Leo represents the massive, undefeated giant Goliath (equipped with expensive gear and elite coaches).
Q2: Universal Theme Statement
Exemplar: Quiet, humble perseverance and dedicated self-discipline can overcome flashier opponents who rely entirely on wealth, natural privilege, and overconfidence.
Q3: Analysis of Device to Theme
The David and Goliath allusion instantly layers historical/mythological significance onto a standard school track race. It signals to the reader that this is not just a sports competition, but a fundamental test of character, proving that quiet grit and steady training are more powerful than inherited privilege and overconfident machinery.
Error: Student writes "friendship" or "nature" as the theme.
Correction: Remind students: "A topic is a word; a theme is what the author tells us about that topic." Force a complete, actionable sentence.
Error: Student writes: "Clara shouldn't climb ladders or ignore her friends."
Correction: Teach students to strip out specific characters, settings, and plot names. The theme must apply to all humans in the real world.
Theme Packet 2 Teacher Guide Page 3
1. LITERARY DEVICE: What is the situational irony in this story? Contrast Katie's initial intent and expectation with the actual outcome of her choice.
2. THEME: What universal theme or lesson does this story convey about integrity and shortcuts? Write in a complete sentence.
3. ANALYSIS: How does the situational irony develop and reinforce the overall theme of the story?
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DAY 3 Target Device: Symbolism
Twin brothers Jack and Willie were identical in appearance, but their approaches to learning could not have been more different. On the first day of high school, Willie was handed a brand-new, heavy chemistry textbook with a glossy cover that gleamed in the fluorescent lights. Instead of opening it, Willie tossed it carelessly into the dark, dusty bottom of his locker. Throughout the year, that textbook remained in pristine condition, its spine completely unbent, its pages crisp, white, and untouched. Willie laughed off his classes, skating by on luck and guessing to secure average C-minus grades. Jack, conversely, carried a simple, dog-eared study notebook with him everywhere. Its cheap cardboard cover was scuffed, faded, and heavily taped at the corners to keep it from falling apart. Inside, almost every inch of the lined paper was filled with Jack's neat, handwritten outlines, vibrant yellow highlighter streaks, and complex diagrams drawn in the margins. While Willie spent his afternoons playing video games, Jack sat beneath the soft glow of his desk lamp, adding page after page of careful reflections to his notebook. When both brothers transitioned to a highly competitive university, the sudden academic rigor hit them like a wall. Willie’s pristine-looking textbook could offer him no answers; he had never built the actual discipline of learning, and he failed his very first midterm exams, placing him on academic probation. Jack, working diligently with his battered notebook, went on to fill three more thick volumes and earned straight As. One evening, Willie sat silently staring at his brother's tattered notebooks, finally realizing the profound truth of what those weathered pages actually represented.
1. LITERARY DEVICE: What do the two objects (Willie's pristine, unopened textbook and Jack's scuffed, dog-eared study notebook) symbolize?
2. THEME: What is the central, universal theme of this story? Write it as a complete sentence.
3. ANALYSIS: How does the author's use of these symbols help develop and illustrate the theme about effort versus avoidance?
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DAY 4 Target Device: Dramatic Irony
David, an ambitious young clerk in the basement mailroom of J&J Marketers, was ecstatic when he received an email inviting him to sit in on a high-level creative brainstorming session with the company directors. What David did not know was that this meeting was a carefully planned test of his professionalism, humility, and collaborative spirit. The executives had already drafted an official promotion contract to make him a junior marketing associate, complete with a generous salary raise, which they fully intended to sign if he demonstrated a respectful and constructive attitude. As the meeting began, the lead director explained that the team was split between two choices for a luxury cosmetic campaign: a subtle pink-and-green palette or a sophisticated pink-and-brown scheme. Instead of weighing in on the choices as requested, David leaned back in his leather chair, laced his fingers behind his head, and scoffed openly. "To be honest, guys, both of those palettes look incredibly dated, and your main slogan is completely boring. If I were running this campaign, I'd throw all of this out and use giant neon cartoon balloons. You guys are just thinking way too small." David beamed with confidence, absolutely certain he was proving himself to be a bold, visionary genius who wasn't afraid to speak truth to power. He didn't notice the heavy silence that settled over the room. The directors exchanged quiet, disappointed glances, and the lead executive slowly drew a red line through David's name on the draft contract before sliding it into a folder. After politely thanking David and sending him back to the mailroom, they went ahead and signed a different candidate. The next morning, David eagerly logged into his computer, searching for the promotion email he was certain was waiting for him.
1. LITERARY DEVICE: What is the dramatic irony in this scenario? Explain what the reader and the executives know that David is completely unaware of.
2. THEME: What is the central, universal theme of this story? Write it as a complete sentence.
3. ANALYSIS: How does the author's use of dramatic irony highlight David's lack of self-awareness and develop the theme?
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DAY 5 Target Device: Juxtaposition
With graduation only two weeks away, Pam was determined to organize the ultimate celebration for her close-knit group of friends to ensure they stayed bonded forever. She wanted every single person to feel completely happy, so she surveyed them about their dream activities: Chelsea wanted to go roller-skating, Beth wanted to shop at the boutique mall, Patricia wanted to visit the exotic birds at the local zoo, and Vivica wanted to sit quietly and watch the sunset at the beach. Rather than choosing one or two realistic options, Pam was resolved to be the perfect host and crammed all four distinct activities into a rigid, five-hour itinerary. When the big afternoon arrived, the five girls met with high spirits, laughing, talking, and snapping group photos. However, Pam's meticulous schedule quickly turned the celebration into a stressful military march. At the roller rink, just as the girls finished lacing up their skates and glided around the floor for two quick laps, Pam blew a sharp plastic whistle. "Time's up! We must stay on schedule!" she barked. Chelsea’s bright smile instantly vanished. At the mall, Pam literally dragged Beth out of a fitting room before she could make a purchase, shouting that they had to beat traffic. By the time they rushed to the zoo, the main gates were locked, leaving Patricia staring sadly through the iron bars at the closed exhibits. Finally, they pulled into the beach parking lot just as the very last sliver of golden sun dipped beneath the dark ocean horizon. "Let's not even bother getting out of the car," Vivica muttered listlessly. As they drove back in the pitch black, a suffocating, heavy silence filled the vehicle—the physical, shoulder-to-shoulder closeness of the girls in the cramped backseat standing in stark, painful juxtaposition to the immense emotional distance and disappointment that had opened up between them.
1. LITERARY DEVICE: What specific elements are juxtaposed in this story (e.g., initial emotions vs. final mood, or physical closeness vs. emotional distance)? Explain the contrast.
2. THEME: What is the central, universal theme of this story? Write it as a complete sentence.
3. ANALYSIS: How does the juxtaposition of expectations versus reality emphasize the impossibility of pleasing everyone through over-planning?
