T2+Novel+Study

__Tuesday 12th July__

WALT. write about the plot,setting,characters,theme of our novel and to write a critical response. S.C. We have * described 3 characters looks and personalities * identified the main theme in our novel * described in detail where our novel takes place so that a picture is created in the readers head * listed the main events in our story * written about what I liked and didn't like about our novel and given a recommendation for intended audience

**Novel Study Presentation**

**See Ya, Simon**

**By David Hill**

**Session One (With Miss Crone)** Who do you think is on the front cover of the novel? How old do you think he is and why? How is the boy feeling and why? What do you think the title means? Turn over the read the blurb on the back What is muscular dystrophy? How is Simonʼs life different to everybody elseʼs? Who is Nathan? Now write a paragraph telling me what you think the story is going to be all about

Thursday 5th May I think that the book is going to be about Simon (who is in a wheelchair) and his best friend Nathan,go out and do something really adventurous and daring before Nathan has to say goodbye to Simon,but when they do it something could go terribly wrong and Simon will have an even worse condition than he does at the moment.Or something will go really bad for Nathan and nobody else is around them so Simon has to do something really fast,he could end up in the newspaper for what he did to save Nathan.

Tuesday 10th May **Session Two Read Chapter One** then answer the following questions Who should come first - Todd Martin or Melissa McDonald and why? Todd Martin,because the lines go in alphabetical order with there last names and A comes before C. √

Find the simile on the first page. Said Nelita, 'who works through jokes like our dog works through a plate of jellimeat.' √ Why was the soccer ball well-trained ? The ball just slowed down and started bouncing before reaching the goal and then it landed in Simons lap. √    What did Haare do when he saw Simon coming towards him? Dropped to his knees and pretended to pray. <span style="color: #fb2828; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">√ <span style="color: #fb2828; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"> <span style="color: #0066f5; font: 12.0px Helvetica; line-height: 19.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="color: #040506; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Why do you think Simon was playing goalie? Because the rest of the class and the coach thought he couldn’t do much,and because he was in a wheelchair couldn’t run,and might hurt another player if he wheels down the field to try get a goal. √  <span style="color: #0066f5; font: 12.0px Helvetica; line-height: 19.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="color: #000000; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Why has Simon got a new wheelchair? His old one has to moved by his own arms, and with him having ‘muscular dystrophy’ he doesn’t grow which means he gets weaker and weaker by the day,so he can’t keep pushing himself ‘round everywhere. √    Who does Nathan have a crush on? <span style="color: #0066f5; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Nelita. <span style="color: #f92424; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">√ (Brady West) <span style="color: #0066f5; font: 12.0px Helvetica; line-height: 19.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="color: #000000; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">“Simon looked //fragile”// What does fragile mean? That he looks weak and dainty,delicate not that strong.Easily broken. √    How much longer does Simon have to live? <span style="color: #0066f5; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Only a year or two.<span style="color: #f92424; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">√ <span style="color: #0066f5; font: 12.0px Helvetica; line-height: 19.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="color: #000000; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">How do you think Simon reacts to his illness? Not very good,because he only has a short time to live so he tries to make the most of it so he acts all funny and cool. √

__Tuesday 17th May__

Nathan is told to behave like a ʻcivilised human beingʼ. What does //ʻcivilisedʼ// mean? To be more mature and polished about what you are doing. √   Why does Nathan say his dog has no concern for the environment? Because the dog stops at nearly every plant or pole to sniff and mark his territory he doesn’t care about what people think and what he does to the plants. √   How does Nathan feel about his sister? Like she is unfair and gets out of stuff to make him do it,she gets him in trouble on purpose,she makes it sound worse than it actually is.Like she moans too much. √   What is muscular dystrophy? It is when your muscles don’t get stronger they get weaker and weaker as you get older and you have to be in a wheelchair.And you don’t live as long as all the other people in the world. √   Why would Simon disappear for a while at times? Because he felt like being alone for a while so nobody could see him. Half tick. Really because he was at the hospital so often. Why was Ms Kidman both smiling and crying at the same time? She was smiling because Simon was having a lot of fun even though he had MD,she was crying because she was thinking about his condition and hoping that nothing will go wrong while he was getting swung around like he had nothing wrong with him.Also because she felt proud of him. √   How does Simon use his disability as an advantage ? To have a good excuse to get out of doing homework when he doesn’t feel like doing it. √
 * Session Three Read Chapter Two** then answer the following questions

What annoys Simon about the way some people treat him? He feels like people only treat him like that because he has something wrong with him and if he didn’t then he wouldn’t be getting the advantage like he does now with work and out of school. √   What is Simon normally doing in his dreams? Running and walking and mostly in slow motion. √   Why canʼt Nathan wait for christmas to come around again next year? So he can go to the Shaws with Kirsti an hug her under the mistletoe again and talk to her. √   Give an example of how much Simon has deteriorated in a month? When they play Dungeons and Dragons he can’t reach out to grab the dice,so they have to get the dice for him. √   Why do you think Simonʼs parents take a lot of photos of him? So when he gets older before he dies they can show him the album and talk about how he used to be and how much weaker he has gotten in the past years.(and they want to remember him. √ What is the howling noise from the shower? Simon singing. √
 * Session Four Read Chapters Three and Four** then answer the following questions

__Monday 23rd May__ What does the following sentence mean? “//making an enemy of Alex Wilson is not a recommended way of increasing your life expectancy”// It’s not right to make an enemy of him when you will only be living a few years longer,like it doesn’t make any difference in your life when you have an enemy it also doesn’t make your life better or even make you feel better. half tick. Don't mess with him because he is a lot bigger and stronger and could beat you up. Why do you think Simon sometimes needs somebody to talk at not talk to? Because if he has someone to talk to he expects an answer but if he is only talking at me them you don’t need to make a comment and get him more angry than he is if you say the wrong thing. √   Why does Simon lash out at Nathan when he is trying to help him ? He feels like when he needs help he only needs a little of it and the rest he can do himself,because if he has help it makes him feel like he can’t do much and that he is getting weaker the second. √
 * Session Five Read Chapter Five** then answer the following questions.

What nice things did Nathan do for his sister in this chapter? He offered to run a bath for her and said that if she had a shower he would walk the dog. √   Why do you think Nathan //got ready to hide under the table// when Fiona asked why they donʼt get Dad to send them money? Because they know that he won’t have the money to give her and that he lives another life now and she doesn’t know that,so that if his mum looks at him he didn’t have to react or say anything,so he doesn’t have the pressure of coming up with something to get out of having to deal with that. x Because his mum will get angry because she is sick of hearing about him. How did everybody feel after Simon read his poem to the class ? Sad and miserable about how he feels when they are all having fun outside and that he can’t do anything but just sit there in his chair and watch and that he has a sad life but really he doesn’t have that bad of one. √   Why do you think Ms Kidman said that nobody would forget Simonʼs poem? Because it is so deep and heartfelt and could make anybody cry or even make them just the little bit sad it can make them think about what he has and how much of a struggle it is to live life in a wheelchair getting weaker and weaker. √
 * Session Six**
 * Read Chapter Six** then answer the following questions

Why do you think Nathan has made a promise to himself to be kind to everyone? Because he feels sorry that he has not been very nice to them in the past.And that he doesn’t want to be hated and he actually wants to keep his friends forever because he knows that he won’t have Simon for that long anymore. √   Why will Simon be no competition for Nathan with Brady West for a while? Because Simon is going to the hospital for four days getting tests done. √   Why do you think Mr Rata stood up to take over the conversation? He didn’t want the rest of the class to ask too many questions relating to Simons’ condition and soon find out how bad it is and the fact that he might be dead in a year or two. √
 * Session Seven Read Chapter Seven** then answer the following questions

__ Thursday 2nd June __

Why does Nathan have trouble talking to both Brady and Kirsti? Because there is something about them that he likes and when the time comes when he needs to speak he starts to sputter. √ Why do you think Nathanʼs mum tells him he is a neat kid? Because he has been sticking with Simon and been a really good friend, he goes to hospital with Simon and his parents when they need to drop him off, and his mum really thinks that's a really cool thing. √ Why were the Shaws quiet on the way home from the hospital? Because Simon wasn't there with them and Dr.Mehta might have given them the exact date when he might die and that they have no cure for Simons condition. Half tick They feel miserable and nervous because they don't know what might happen.
 * Session Eight Read Chapter Eight** then answer the following questions

How is Simon helping to keep unemployment down? By staying in the hospital so that all the workers have to be there at work and have something to do. √ Who is Simon talking about in the final paragraph of Chapter 9? Alex Wilson. Jason. What is the class filming? A movie about Women's Suffragette Movement, Suffragette means women who make men suffer. √ Why canʼt Simonʼs electric wheelchair be in the film? Because the suffragette was in the 1900-1910's and electric wheelchairs were not around in that time. √
 * Session Nine Read Chapters Nine and Ten** then answer the following questions

Why wasnʼt it easy for Nathan to say tough things when he saw Simon again? Because he saw how much weaker he looked and thought that it would be quite hard to say that kind of stuff when Simon looks thin and weak. √ What are the two main reasons Simon doesnʼt like the //Telethon// tv program? 1. He didn't like the fact that people think that when they give their little bit of money they have done their job and all the kids will be ok and not have to worry about their sickness anymore, but they do they will still have their problems and won't be ok they will feel better but they won't exactly BE better. 2. That on tv they make it look like the kids have to stay in hospital all their lives and not be able to go to school an all that, but really they don't, they do go to school and get treated like normal kids, they don't need to feel like they have something really bad sickness or anything. √ What does Nathan keep forgetting? He keeps forgetting that Simon has MD and he only has a short time to live and with how young he is he won't be able to have a career. √
 * Session Ten Read Chapters Eleven and Twelve** then answer the following questions

Why is Nathan so dramatic about babysitting? Because he is not good with baby's and he does not like the look of them and since he has a little sister he would think that every baby would moan a lot, and when Simon is part of it he can't understand why he can't put baby's to sleep like Simon can. He thinks that they are torture and he just doesn't like doing it. Nathan describes Alex as being //primitive//. What does this mean? He is old fashioned and is not up to date with the 21st century. √ Why does Mrs Shaw start crying? Because when she saw Simon holding Aaron on his lap it reminded her of when Simon was a baby and had a whole life ahead of him and since Aaron looks so much like Simon when he was a baby it made her think of when she was in the hospital holding Simon in her arms. Partly, She realizes that Simon is doing so good with Aaron and remembers that he can never be an adult and have a baby. List 5 words to describe Nathan. Neat, Supportive, Loyal, Genuine, Outgoing √ Why do you think Kirsti calls Nathan a “//neat kidʼʼ?// Because he makes Simon and her laugh and is just being himself, he always knows what to say when he sees that someone is just upset but doesn't show it and tries to make them feel better and without making too big of a deal. √
 * Session Eleven Read Chapter 13** then answer the following questions

Why does it get harder for your lungs to work properly with Muscular Dystrophy? Because your lungs are a muscle and since your muscles get weaker as you grow older and your lungs will be getting weaker as well and won't be able to work as good.Also your lungs might try to work twice as hard and tire especially when you are growing weaker. √ How does Nathan feel about Simon getting sicker? That he knows that Simon is going to die he is very frightened and quite angry about it.Also when they are with each other sometimes he feels guilty that Simon is crippled and he is fit and healthy, but then again he feels glad that he is ok and doesn't have anything wrong with him. √ Do you think you would feel the same way if you were in Nathanʼs position? Why/why not? Yes because I would hate to have one of my friends dying right there, especially when they are such good friends and I have been with them a lot. I would definitely be angry as well not at them but at just god and well everyone but only for a day or two. √
 * Session Twelve Read Chapter 14** then answer the following questions

Why is it so hard to push Simon up the bank? Because Simon had the wheelchair brakes full on. √ How do you think Simon felt after being thrown from his wheelchair? Shaken, Worried about his muscles, glad that nothing terrible happened.Scared a bit. √ How does Nathan feel about Nelita? That she is a really nice girl and kind and all that but she talks too much and that her sappy jokes just get on peoples nerves and doesn't like hearing them everyday, also he likes her eyes. √ Why does Simon have to go to school in the van now? Because it is colder now in the morning and with his lungs and his breathing getting worse and weaker he needs to stay out of the cold and his parents don't want him to go to the hospital again for a breathing problem. √
 * Session Thirteen** **Read Chapters 15 and 16** then answer the following questions

What does it mean when people donʼt face what is happening? T hey don't want to accept the truth,like they know it is going to happen they just won't accept it, they don't want to think about the negative they think positive. √ Why does Nathan stare at nothing much when he gets off the phone? Because he doesn't really know what he feels like, he might be upset and angry 'coz he knows that Simon is getting a lot weaker and it is only going to be a short time until he passes away,and very concerned,as well as how much Simon is so full of himself and Nathan will remember him being like that. Half Simon is going to the hospital and he doesn't know what will happen. What do you think Simon means when he says Nathan is working on the wrong girl? That Brady is way out of Nathan's league and will probably never end up with him because Brady is too in love with herself and he thinks that Nathan can get someone not as self-centered as Brady, someone more decent that cares about others like Nathan. And with Brady she will let you down, you'll think you have a chance with her but then you think wrong she is just not into you. x Give up Brady she is attractive but not nice to you, start working on Nelita.
 * Session Fourteen Read Chapter 17** then answer the following questions


 * Session fifteen Read to the end of the book**