Tuesdays with Morrie
Who is Morrie?
Answer: Mitch’s former professor/teacher.
What is a thesis statement?
Answer: A thesis is the main claim or main idea of an essay.
Who is Ebenezer Scrooge at the beginning of A Christmas Carol?
Answer: He is selfish, greedy, cold-hearted, and unwilling to help others.
What does demise mean?
Answer: Death; the end of something.
Name one text, book, or unit we studied this year.
Answer: Answers may vary: Tuesdays with Morrie, A Christmas Carol, research essay, short stories, space/living among the stars, etc.
Why does Mitch visit Morrie?
Answer: Morrie is dying, and Mitch wants to reconnect/learn from him.
What is evidence in a research essay?
Answer: Evidence is information from a source that supports your point, such as a fact, quote, statistic, or example.
What does it mean when a character changes in a story?
Answer: The character’s beliefs, choices, attitude, or behavior become different because of what happens in the story.
What does humility mean?
Answer: Not thinking you are better than others; being humble.
Name one skill that helps you become a stronger writer.
Answer: Answers may vary: planning, revising, using evidence, explaining evidence, writing a thesis, organizing paragraphs, using transitions.
Name one life lesson Morrie teaches Mitch.
Answer: Answers may vary: love matters, relationships are important, don’t chase only money/status, forgive, accept aging/death, create your own values.
Why is it important to explain your evidence after you include it?
Answer: Because the reader needs to understand how the evidence supports your point. Evidence alone is not enough.
What is a turning point in a story?
Answer: A turning point is an important moment when something changes for the character or the plot.
Use context clues to define clamor:
“The class made a clamor when everyone started talking at once.”
Answer: Loud noise, outcry, or noisy demand.
What is one piece of advice you would give next year’s 7th graders about ELA?
Answer: Answers may vary, but should be reasonable and specific.
How are Mitch and Morrie different?
Answer: Mitch is busy, work-focused, and disconnected. Morrie is reflective, loving, and focused on what matters.
What is the difference between a topic and a claim?
Answer: A topic is what the essay is about. A claim is the point or argument you are making about that topic.
In A Christmas Carol, what helps Scrooge change?
Answer: The ghosts show him his past, present, and possible future, which makes him understand the harm caused by his choices.
What is an aphorism, and why does this word fit Tuesdays with Morrie?
An aphorism is a short saying that expresses a truth or lesson. It fits because Morrie often teaches Mitch short life lessons.
What is one habit that helps students survive middle school?
Answer: Answers may vary: staying organized, turning in work, asking for help, being kind, using class time, keeping track of assignments.
What does Morrie teach Mitch about success?
Answer: Real success is not just money, work, or fame. It comes from love, relationships, compassion, and living with purpose.
A student writes: “Deforestation is bad because it hurts animals.” How could this be improved into a stronger thesis?
Answer: Answers may vary, but should be more specific. Example: “Deforestation harms ecosystems by destroying animal habitats, reducing biodiversity, and contributing to climate change.”
Why does a story need more than just “a problem and a solution” to feel complete?
Answer: A strong story also needs character development, important details, a clear turning point, and a meaningful ending or lesson.
Choose the best word: alienation, insidious, inexplicable, lament, composure.
“Mitch felt a sense of ________ because he had become disconnected from people and the life he used to value.”
Answer: Alienation.
What is one thing our class should be remembered for, and why?
Answer: Answers may vary, but should include a reason.