Friday, April 11, 2008
Guerrilla Season Poem by Lila WCA
The War They’ll Never Win.
The light of day, is as dark as night.
As men that don’t want to, are forced to fight.
Children are scared as their fathers must go.
Wives are left at home all alone.
Death and disease sneak up on the men,
Killing them faster than the war they’ll never win.
Lila
The light of day, is as dark as night.
As men that don’t want to, are forced to fight.
Children are scared as their fathers must go.
Wives are left at home all alone.
Death and disease sneak up on the men,
Killing them faster than the war they’ll never win.
Lila
Alternate Ending From Patrick WCA
As Matt made his way back home it finally dawned upon him about half-way back what he was doing. He was leaving all in life he had ever known, all his past was slipping in to oblivion, his father’s legacy was soon to be forgotten and the only one brave enough to stand against the tides of time and defend all that was doomed to fall was Jesse.
The trip home was heavy with thought, fear, regret, and hate, hate of himself and it seemed to rise up within him, more and more, with every step towards a north-bound trip he hated himself more and more.
The sun was low but getting higher, he knew his family would leave in a half hour or so even if he didn’t make it, after all they had a train to catch. But he just couldn’t take it, his raw passion was almost stifling, it was too much to bear. After almost an hour of heavy thought and heedless journey he found himself slumped by an old hickory overlooking the farm.
It hit him like a riled mule; this was his land, his fathers land, southern land, southern land with common sense values, a land wronged by the evils of northern expansion and industrialization. He couldn’t just abandon this land and deprive his son of a proud place to call home, his home and the home of his fathers.
After almost an hour of lying sick to his stomach by the tree, looking at all that was going to be lost to him, he realized the sun was beating down on him, he realized his family was probably leaving now and maybe he could make it but he already knew, what had to be done.
He waited just a while longer till’ he was sure his family was gone, he couldn’t bear to see his mother and tell her he was going to stay and fight, he hated himself just for knowing she was utterly heartbroken by now, there’s no way he could face her.
It was time; he made his way down the hill and through his apple orchard. Looking around at all the land as he continued on his way he was hit with waves and waves of pure emotion. Feelings of loneliness, knowing he was the only one left and doomed to live alone, feelings of hate, for breaking his mothers heart, feelings of loyalty, knowing he was defending what he knew to be true, and feelings of fear, fear of the unknown.
It took him awhile but he eventually got his pa’s rifle ready for battle, it took him awhile of sitting at his kitchen table, cleaning and loading it. Somber was the order of the day as he blankly dressed himself and readied some food for journey he noticed a letter on the counter. He recognized it immediately, it was Mama’s piece of paper, the piece she had been saving for an important occasion to use and there it was, sitting right there staring at him, its mere presence was piercing his heart; there’s no way his heart could withstand reading it. He quickly grabbed it and tucked it into his jacket. It could wait to be read, he would save it for a special occasion.
I guess it was best for Matt not to know what had happened to his family shortly after their parting, it was a horrible occurrence a brutal twist of fate. His entire family was killed in a derailing accident whilst on the train car north.
After he left his house for the final time joined up with the guerillas, and as a rightful result, disappeared from the public eye for several years, reappearing only at the Battle of Red Creek. Little is known of Matt’s affairs during his years of war but what is known is this, that foggy morning on the riverbank as he bled his last and gasped through the gore at that last breath of air, he was seen clutching the letter in his hands. He looked happy, as if he was satisfied with what he had done in life, as if he knew his mother loved him with her last. As the Howard family’s chapter closes in the book of time, we must remember that through it all, GOD’s will is done, and that we are all merely ripples in the stream.
The trip home was heavy with thought, fear, regret, and hate, hate of himself and it seemed to rise up within him, more and more, with every step towards a north-bound trip he hated himself more and more.
The sun was low but getting higher, he knew his family would leave in a half hour or so even if he didn’t make it, after all they had a train to catch. But he just couldn’t take it, his raw passion was almost stifling, it was too much to bear. After almost an hour of heavy thought and heedless journey he found himself slumped by an old hickory overlooking the farm.
It hit him like a riled mule; this was his land, his fathers land, southern land, southern land with common sense values, a land wronged by the evils of northern expansion and industrialization. He couldn’t just abandon this land and deprive his son of a proud place to call home, his home and the home of his fathers.
After almost an hour of lying sick to his stomach by the tree, looking at all that was going to be lost to him, he realized the sun was beating down on him, he realized his family was probably leaving now and maybe he could make it but he already knew, what had to be done.
He waited just a while longer till’ he was sure his family was gone, he couldn’t bear to see his mother and tell her he was going to stay and fight, he hated himself just for knowing she was utterly heartbroken by now, there’s no way he could face her.
It was time; he made his way down the hill and through his apple orchard. Looking around at all the land as he continued on his way he was hit with waves and waves of pure emotion. Feelings of loneliness, knowing he was the only one left and doomed to live alone, feelings of hate, for breaking his mothers heart, feelings of loyalty, knowing he was defending what he knew to be true, and feelings of fear, fear of the unknown.
It took him awhile but he eventually got his pa’s rifle ready for battle, it took him awhile of sitting at his kitchen table, cleaning and loading it. Somber was the order of the day as he blankly dressed himself and readied some food for journey he noticed a letter on the counter. He recognized it immediately, it was Mama’s piece of paper, the piece she had been saving for an important occasion to use and there it was, sitting right there staring at him, its mere presence was piercing his heart; there’s no way his heart could withstand reading it. He quickly grabbed it and tucked it into his jacket. It could wait to be read, he would save it for a special occasion.
I guess it was best for Matt not to know what had happened to his family shortly after their parting, it was a horrible occurrence a brutal twist of fate. His entire family was killed in a derailing accident whilst on the train car north.
After he left his house for the final time joined up with the guerillas, and as a rightful result, disappeared from the public eye for several years, reappearing only at the Battle of Red Creek. Little is known of Matt’s affairs during his years of war but what is known is this, that foggy morning on the riverbank as he bled his last and gasped through the gore at that last breath of air, he was seen clutching the letter in his hands. He looked happy, as if he was satisfied with what he had done in life, as if he knew his mother loved him with her last. As the Howard family’s chapter closes in the book of time, we must remember that through it all, GOD’s will is done, and that we are all merely ripples in the stream.
Closing Thoughts From Pat Hughes to All Project Participants
Dear bloggers,
As the “Guerrilla Season” blog draws to a close, it’s now officially guerrilla season. The weather’s getting warm, trees and flowers are blossoming … and in Civil War Missouri, the guerrillas would be able to start hiding in the woods again.
I’ve really enjoyed doing the blog project with you all. From California to Illinois to, of course, Missouri, your comments and questions were insightful and thought-provoking, and a number of you seem wise beyond your years.
My primary goal as an author of historical fiction is to write a gripping story that happens to take place in the past. But I also hope you gained some new perspectives on the Civil War, and on guerrilla warfare’s horrifying effects on both individuals and communities.
If I missed your question, or if you just want to stay in touch, please don’t hesitate to contact me at pathughesbooks@gmail.com It might take me a few days to respond, but I always personally answer all my email.
Have a wonderful spring and summer. I trust and pray your guerrilla season will be better than Matt’s, Jesse’s and Susie’s.
All best wishes,
Pat
As the “Guerrilla Season” blog draws to a close, it’s now officially guerrilla season. The weather’s getting warm, trees and flowers are blossoming … and in Civil War Missouri, the guerrillas would be able to start hiding in the woods again.
I’ve really enjoyed doing the blog project with you all. From California to Illinois to, of course, Missouri, your comments and questions were insightful and thought-provoking, and a number of you seem wise beyond your years.
My primary goal as an author of historical fiction is to write a gripping story that happens to take place in the past. But I also hope you gained some new perspectives on the Civil War, and on guerrilla warfare’s horrifying effects on both individuals and communities.
If I missed your question, or if you just want to stay in touch, please don’t hesitate to contact me at pathughesbooks@gmail.com It might take me a few days to respond, but I always personally answer all my email.
Have a wonderful spring and summer. I trust and pray your guerrilla season will be better than Matt’s, Jesse’s and Susie’s.
All best wishes,
Pat
Interview With Matt by Jordan
Interview with a Witness
By: Jordan with Matt Howard
When I heard that an actual witness to the controversy in Missouri shortly before the Civil War was living in a town near mine I jumped on the chance to ask him a few questions about his experiences on his old farm that were depicted in the book:
Me: Shortly into the book you were attacked by Frank “Buck” James, what went through your mind before you realized that he was just playing?
Matt: I believed I was going to die! They repeatedly dunked my head into the creek and I was scared for my life. Then when Jesse started to back talk to the soldiers that frightened me more! Thank heavens Buck was one of them or else we would have been killed! Later I was angry with Jesse for laughing it off like it was a prank. Didn’t he realize that he could have killed us both?
Me: I can imagine how that would be stressful. How do you feel about the pressures to pick a side during the war?
Matt: I felt that making citizens choose sides was completely uncalled for. That’s why my family stayed neutral. It was the easiest choice since the wrong answer could end your life. Like my neighbor’s who’s house was burned down. We couldn’t imagine that happening to us with our big family and no Papa.
Me: It would be hard to get back on your feet after that. What were some of the reactions of your friends when you explained you were moving up North?
Matt: Many of them were upset because they felt that I was abandoning my home. Coming back after the war was just unthought of! I even felt that coming back was like letting them fend for themselves while I lived a decent life up in the North. It was a horrible feeling to know that my friends thought I was going against them and the fact that I had a choice and turned it down and decided to go with my family made it worse.
Me: I see that you did indeed move back to Missouri just outside of Liberty, were you accepted back into your old community?
Matt: I was not immeadiately but once people saw that I wasn’t a threat I think I was allowed a little bit more acceptance.
Me: What was your life up north like?
Matt: I wasn’t accepted there either atleast moving back here I was able to enter back into my community.
Me: How was it to have to take care of everything around the farm and protect your family and what not?
Matt: It was very difficult to juggle all those tasks but when it all came down to it we were able to manage. Farming was difficult at first because of Pa being gone and Clayton being inabled. Protecting my Ma was hardest because she and I always have separate opinions on subjects and it was hard to keep everyone’s best interests in mind.
Me: My last question for you is was it hard to choke out “The Oath?”
Matt: Oh extremely! It was hard to make promises when I wasn’t sure of my loyalties. It was the same case with my family and friends. Too many different influences and sides to choose from, and they all would have led to something tragic.
Me: Thanks for the interview Matt and we hope that life in Missouri will grow better for you as time passes.
By: Jordan with Matt Howard
When I heard that an actual witness to the controversy in Missouri shortly before the Civil War was living in a town near mine I jumped on the chance to ask him a few questions about his experiences on his old farm that were depicted in the book:
Me: Shortly into the book you were attacked by Frank “Buck” James, what went through your mind before you realized that he was just playing?
Matt: I believed I was going to die! They repeatedly dunked my head into the creek and I was scared for my life. Then when Jesse started to back talk to the soldiers that frightened me more! Thank heavens Buck was one of them or else we would have been killed! Later I was angry with Jesse for laughing it off like it was a prank. Didn’t he realize that he could have killed us both?
Me: I can imagine how that would be stressful. How do you feel about the pressures to pick a side during the war?
Matt: I felt that making citizens choose sides was completely uncalled for. That’s why my family stayed neutral. It was the easiest choice since the wrong answer could end your life. Like my neighbor’s who’s house was burned down. We couldn’t imagine that happening to us with our big family and no Papa.
Me: It would be hard to get back on your feet after that. What were some of the reactions of your friends when you explained you were moving up North?
Matt: Many of them were upset because they felt that I was abandoning my home. Coming back after the war was just unthought of! I even felt that coming back was like letting them fend for themselves while I lived a decent life up in the North. It was a horrible feeling to know that my friends thought I was going against them and the fact that I had a choice and turned it down and decided to go with my family made it worse.
Me: I see that you did indeed move back to Missouri just outside of Liberty, were you accepted back into your old community?
Matt: I was not immeadiately but once people saw that I wasn’t a threat I think I was allowed a little bit more acceptance.
Me: What was your life up north like?
Matt: I wasn’t accepted there either atleast moving back here I was able to enter back into my community.
Me: How was it to have to take care of everything around the farm and protect your family and what not?
Matt: It was very difficult to juggle all those tasks but when it all came down to it we were able to manage. Farming was difficult at first because of Pa being gone and Clayton being inabled. Protecting my Ma was hardest because she and I always have separate opinions on subjects and it was hard to keep everyone’s best interests in mind.
Me: My last question for you is was it hard to choke out “The Oath?”
Matt: Oh extremely! It was hard to make promises when I wasn’t sure of my loyalties. It was the same case with my family and friends. Too many different influences and sides to choose from, and they all would have led to something tragic.
Me: Thanks for the interview Matt and we hope that life in Missouri will grow better for you as time passes.
Guerrilla Season Poem by Hanna
The night is dark and still,
But you know they are there,
Maybe they aren’t there to get you, but they’re after someone.
After lying still for hours he hears it, the sounds that no fifteen year old should have to wake up to in the night.
He grabs his gun and runs outside, he is the man of the house and he has to defend his love ones, whether he wants to or not.
It’s too late, the flames are in the clouds,
The scream pierces his ears as he runs towards the only light in the cold dark night,
He stops as hears the gun shots and even more screams,
After running toward the flames he now can’t move,
He knows what had just happened.
Now, so close to the house he sees the monsters that have done this,
Knowing they are proud with sinful smiles on their faces he turns around knowing there is nothing he can do for this family.
But you know they are there,
Maybe they aren’t there to get you, but they’re after someone.
After lying still for hours he hears it, the sounds that no fifteen year old should have to wake up to in the night.
He grabs his gun and runs outside, he is the man of the house and he has to defend his love ones, whether he wants to or not.
It’s too late, the flames are in the clouds,
The scream pierces his ears as he runs towards the only light in the cold dark night,
He stops as hears the gun shots and even more screams,
After running toward the flames he now can’t move,
He knows what had just happened.
Now, so close to the house he sees the monsters that have done this,
Knowing they are proud with sinful smiles on their faces he turns around knowing there is nothing he can do for this family.
Alternate Ending From Alexis
Ma was rushing to get the needed things while Betsy and I watched over Molly and Tyler. My mind was racing “Where was matt?”, “What is he left us?” While pacing back and forth Betsy was trying to keep the little ones calm. Just as I was about to ask Clay again where Matt was, Matt walked through the door.
“Matt! Where’s Salt? What about Jesse?” I asked but he just walked pass me, and went to his room. I knew he didn’t want to move and probably wanted some time to himself, but I wanted different. I wanted to talk with Matt, to get his approval to go. To get approval “To leave Pa” as Matt had put it so many times before. Ma called for Betsy to help so I watched over the little ones. Would they remember any of this? Tyler probably never would except for the stories but Molly has seen things that no child should have to see. If we move than our family will stay whole. I won’t let anyone take Matt again. Clay seemed to notice my troubled thinking for he subtlety coughed and looked at me with concerned eyes. What did he care! He could less if we never came back. Even I don’t want to come back but if Matt is coming back I will come with him. I looked back to see Ma and Matt coming down the stairs. Clay grabbed Tyler and Betsy took Molly as they headed to the wagon. I grabbed my things and started off myself but I noticed Matt wasn’t getting on! In a panic I rushed to Clay.
“Where’s he going Clay? I thought he was coming!” I was practically screaming at him.
“Calm down Ben.” Clay said setting down Tyler. “He’s just giving his farm one last good-bye”
Taking deep breaths I slowly got on the wagon. I knew how hard it was for Matt. He had given up a lot. After a few minutes Matt joined us on the wagon and grandpa started off. Matt said not a word and silently looked back at the farm he was leaving, possibly forever. I looked down at the ground eventually giving in to Molly and listen to her songs. I looked over again at Matt and just before he could wipe it away I saw one tear and my heart ached for my brother. I hope he finds happiness in the North because that’s all I wish for. I wish for my brother’s happiness.
What do you think of this ending by Alexis? Leave a comment below.
“Matt! Where’s Salt? What about Jesse?” I asked but he just walked pass me, and went to his room. I knew he didn’t want to move and probably wanted some time to himself, but I wanted different. I wanted to talk with Matt, to get his approval to go. To get approval “To leave Pa” as Matt had put it so many times before. Ma called for Betsy to help so I watched over the little ones. Would they remember any of this? Tyler probably never would except for the stories but Molly has seen things that no child should have to see. If we move than our family will stay whole. I won’t let anyone take Matt again. Clay seemed to notice my troubled thinking for he subtlety coughed and looked at me with concerned eyes. What did he care! He could less if we never came back. Even I don’t want to come back but if Matt is coming back I will come with him. I looked back to see Ma and Matt coming down the stairs. Clay grabbed Tyler and Betsy took Molly as they headed to the wagon. I grabbed my things and started off myself but I noticed Matt wasn’t getting on! In a panic I rushed to Clay.
“Where’s he going Clay? I thought he was coming!” I was practically screaming at him.
“Calm down Ben.” Clay said setting down Tyler. “He’s just giving his farm one last good-bye”
Taking deep breaths I slowly got on the wagon. I knew how hard it was for Matt. He had given up a lot. After a few minutes Matt joined us on the wagon and grandpa started off. Matt said not a word and silently looked back at the farm he was leaving, possibly forever. I looked down at the ground eventually giving in to Molly and listen to her songs. I looked over again at Matt and just before he could wipe it away I saw one tear and my heart ached for my brother. I hope he finds happiness in the North because that’s all I wish for. I wish for my brother’s happiness.
What do you think of this ending by Alexis? Leave a comment below.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Final Projects
Hello all 2008 Guerrilla Season participants. I am currently going through hundreds of awesome projects from the Guerrilla Season project and will soon be posting some examples on the blog. We will also have some final thoughts from the participants this week. I will start posting examples and comments as soon as I can - it has been a crazy week. Thanks.
Mr. Langhorst
South Valley Jr. High - Liberty, Missouri
Mr. Langhorst
South Valley Jr. High - Liberty, Missouri
Monday, March 31, 2008
A Field Trip to the James Farm
On Saturday, March 29th, several South Valley Jr. High students took an optional field trip to the James Farm in Kearney, Missouri. The farm is the setting for much of Guerrilla Season and we can step into the cabin described in the novel.
Our first stop at the James Farm is the visitor center where we watched a great 25 minute video describing the James family and the history of the farm. We then walked through the museum with artifacts from various family members. Some of the most interesting items were the James family Bible, the boots Jesse was wearing when he was shoot and killed, the guns he owned and numerous other family items. Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take pictures inside the museum but the James Farm web site does have some pictures posted.
We then walked out to the original James home for a tour. The home has had additions built on in the 1890's and 1930's but the original cabin is still there. It was an incredible feeling to be standing where the family ate, slept and lived.
Mr. Langhorst wants to thank the students who took time from their busy Saturday morning to visit the site. Other students would have liked to attend but were active in other activities. We also want to thank the South Valley Jr. High Parent Student Teacher Association which paid for the bus transportation and admission through a grant.
If you have any questions for the students who attended the field trip to the farm please leave a comment to this post. Please leave your answer below by click on the "comments" link and then responding using your pen name under your comment and then selecting "anonymous" Please use correct grammar and remember to not include your first and last name.
Pat had the following information to add about the pictures and the trip to the farm:
Very cool - I'm so jealous, wish I could have come along.
For the uninitiated - the bottom picture is the site of Jesse's original grave, in the family's front yard. His mom, Zerelda, wanted him close to her so she could watch out for grave robbers. Also, at one time Jesse's grave was shaded by the infamous coffee bean tree, from which Dr. Samuel was hanged by the Union militia. The coffee bean tree fell victim to a lightning strike a some point in time. Jesse's remains are no longer in this grave. He was moved to a cemetery right near the town of Kearney, called Centerville during the Civil War.
The pic right above the grave shows a typical plow of the period - like one that Jesse or Matt would have used. of course it would have been attached to animals - horses or mules, most likely - and the plower would hold the handles. It's hard to read the tiny type but the sign tells farm visitors that young Jesse was plowing the fields when the Union militia arrived to terrorize the faimly - hanging Dr. S and chasing Jesse through the corn rows to beat him with whips.
The middle picture shows the original log cabin and you can see how the chinking is put in between the logs. I believe that at the time of the Civil War, the Samuel family already had clapboard (well, that's what we call it in New England) over the logs but someone correct me if I'm wrong.
The two top pictures show two porches on the house - one of them would have existed at the time of "Guerrilla Season," and one not. One was from a newer portion of the house. It's been a few years since I was there, so I can't remember which was which. Maybe someone who made the trip can enlighten us about which of these porches Mrs. S. would have been sitting the night of the party, sewing Jesse's guerrilla shirt! - Pat
Week 4 - Welcome
Hello and welcome to week 4 of the Guerrilla Season Book Blog Project. This week you should be finishing up the novel, pages 242 through 326. Also, don't forget to read the Author's Note at the end of the novel.
This week we will have some more discussion questions, a podcast from Pat about the future of Guerrilla Season and some more examples of student projects from the book. The students at South Valley Jr High are turning in at least one of the five options from the Final Project List - see blog post from Week #3 on the final projects. These final projects are due on midnight of Friday, April 4th and we will be showing many of them on the blog.
Go ahead and post a comment, leave a question or just hang out and check out what others are saying about Guerrilla Season. As always if you don't want to leave a discussion question on the blog please drop us an e-mail at speakingofhistory@gmail.com
This week we will have some more discussion questions, a podcast from Pat about the future of Guerrilla Season and some more examples of student projects from the book. The students at South Valley Jr High are turning in at least one of the five options from the Final Project List - see blog post from Week #3 on the final projects. These final projects are due on midnight of Friday, April 4th and we will be showing many of them on the blog.
Go ahead and post a comment, leave a question or just hang out and check out what others are saying about Guerrilla Season. As always if you don't want to leave a discussion question on the blog please drop us an e-mail at speakingofhistory@gmail.com
Week 4 - The Bible in Guerrilla Season
The Bible is mentioned many times throughout the novel - both in Jesse's family and Matt's.
What did you think about the use of the Bible in Guerrilla Season?
Was it too much? Was it typical for the time period?
Did both sides use the Bible as justificiation for their actions?
Please leave your answer below by click on the "comments" link and then responding using your pen name under your comment and then selecting "anonymous" Please use correct grammar and remember to not include your first and last name.
What did you think about the use of the Bible in Guerrilla Season?
Was it too much? Was it typical for the time period?
Did both sides use the Bible as justificiation for their actions?
Please leave your answer below by click on the "comments" link and then responding using your pen name under your comment and then selecting "anonymous" Please use correct grammar and remember to not include your first and last name.
Week 4 - Guerrilla Season Podcast - What's Next for Matt and Jesse?
Welcome to the Week 4 podcast for the Guerrilla Season Book Blog Project. This week author Pat Hughes answers the most frequently asked question on this blog over the past four weeks - what happens next? Listen to this short podcast to hear what Pat has to say about upcoming books and what happens to the characters next. It may surprise you.To listen just click on the direct link and it will play on your computer. You may also download to your computer and listen on your i-Pod or MP3 player.
Direct link to listen to Guerrilla Season Podcast #4 - What's Next?- MP3 Format - 6:30 Minutes
Please leave your answer below by click on the "comments" link and then responding using your pen name under your comment and then selecting "anonymous" Please use correct grammar and remember to not include your first and last name.
Week 4 - Student Lounge
We have students from various parts of the country reading Guerrilla Season and sharing this amazing experience. This is a unique and powerful experience that I hope you have all enjoyed.
This discussion is for students to interact directly with the other students reading the book. Please leave a comment or question that you have about this experience. Please keep it related to the book or the blog experience in some manner.
Please leave your answer below by click on the "comments" link and then responding using your pen name under your comment and then selecting "anonymous" Please use correct grammar and remember to not include your first and last name.
This discussion is for students to interact directly with the other students reading the book. Please leave a comment or question that you have about this experience. Please keep it related to the book or the blog experience in some manner.
Please leave your answer below by click on the "comments" link and then responding using your pen name under your comment and then selecting "anonymous" Please use correct grammar and remember to not include your first and last name.
Week 4 - Ask Pat
We are coming to the end of the novel and I'm sure that you have some comments for the author. Go ahead and leave a comment - she is answering any question you have. We know you have a question so go ahead and ASK PAT! Please leave your answer below by click on the "comments" link and then responding using your pen name under your comment and then selecting "anonymous" Please use correct grammar and remember to not include your first and last name.
Week 4 - So You Agree With Matt's Choice?
Pat has a question for the all the participants this week about the ending of the novel. We don't want to spoil the ending for you so if you have not yet finished reading the book please wait until you are finished to read the responses.Were you pleased or disappointed by Matt's decision at the end of the book?
Please leave your answer below by click on the "comments" link and then responding using your pen name under your comment and then selecting "anonymous" Please use correct grammar and remember to not include your first and last name.
Week 4 - Pat Asks You - What is Clay County Like Today?
This week Pat has a special question for the Liberty students about the setting of Guerrilla Season:- Does the Clay County Missouri in Guerrilla Season at all resemble the Clay County of 2008?
- Can you see the prairie today?
- Do any of you live on a farm and grow corn?
- Do any of you own or ride horses?
Week 4 - General Topics
Think of this place as a sort of local coffee shop. If you have a comment or specific response to a question posted as a blog entry please post it there but if you have a general comment and don't know where else to post it please do so here. It might be a question or just a general observation - go ahead and post it.
Visitors to the blog - please feel free to leave a comment at this post about your impressions on the book blog project. We'd love to hear from you.
Please leave your answer below by click on the "comments" link and then responding using your pen name under your comment and then selecting "anonymous" Please use correct grammar and remember to not include your first and last name.
Visitors to the blog - please feel free to leave a comment at this post about your impressions on the book blog project. We'd love to hear from you.
Please leave your answer below by click on the "comments" link and then responding using your pen name under your comment and then selecting "anonymous" Please use correct grammar and remember to not include your first and last name.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Shout Out - Mr. Langhorst's 4th Period in Liberty, Missouri
Mr. Langhorst's 4th Period American History class at South Valley Jr. High in Liberty, Missouri.
Shout Out - Mr. Langhorst's 1st Period Class at South Valley Jr. High
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Mr. Langhorst's Period 1 American History class at South Valley Jr. High in Liberty, MissouriParent Comment About the Guerrilla Season Book Blog Project
The following is a comment sent in from the parent of a South Valley Jr. High 8th grader:
My daughter is a student of Mr. Langhorst's. She and I are reading the book together. So far we have had several discussions about the characters and why they act like they do. We are both enjoying this opportunity to learn more about history and our state. Thanks for making this available to us!
Stephanie Green
My daughter is a student of Mr. Langhorst's. She and I are reading the book together. So far we have had several discussions about the characters and why they act like they do. We are both enjoying this opportunity to learn more about history and our state. Thanks for making this available to us!
Stephanie Green
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Week #3 - Pat Asks You A Question and Shares Her Experience on the Gulf Coast From Last Week
I’m back from my trip to the Gulf Coast, where my family and I spent five nights at the Pearlington Recovery Center while doing Katrina Recovery work in Pearlington, Mississippi. It was an unforgettable experience for all of us, on so many levels that it’s just impossible to get into here.
But for the blog’s purposes, it made me think a lot about what it means to have your home and all its contents gone in a heartbeat.
I couldn’t help but compare Hurricane Katrina with the Missouri-Kansas situation during the war, where both individual farms like Mr. Stone’s and entire communities like Lawrence, Kansas, and Osceola, Missouri – to name just two -– were destroyed by people on both sides of the conflict. And then there was the infamous Order #11, when the Union cleared out everybody in four Missouri border counties and burned all their homes and farms, leaving a desolate landscape that must have seemed eerily similar to some of the wiped-out communities I saw on the Gulf Coast.
So this week I have two questions:
#1 - If you were faced with losing your home to destruction and could save only one thing (other than your and your family’s lives!), what would it be?
#2 - And if you have ever been so unfortunate as to have this happen in your own life – lose your home to a flood, a fire, a tornado – what was that like for you?
Please leave your answer below by click on the "comments" link and then responding using your pen name under your comment and then selecting "anonymous" Please use correct grammar and remember to not include your first and last name.
But for the blog’s purposes, it made me think a lot about what it means to have your home and all its contents gone in a heartbeat.
I couldn’t help but compare Hurricane Katrina with the Missouri-Kansas situation during the war, where both individual farms like Mr. Stone’s and entire communities like Lawrence, Kansas, and Osceola, Missouri – to name just two -– were destroyed by people on both sides of the conflict. And then there was the infamous Order #11, when the Union cleared out everybody in four Missouri border counties and burned all their homes and farms, leaving a desolate landscape that must have seemed eerily similar to some of the wiped-out communities I saw on the Gulf Coast.
So this week I have two questions:
#1 - If you were faced with losing your home to destruction and could save only one thing (other than your and your family’s lives!), what would it be?
#2 - And if you have ever been so unfortunate as to have this happen in your own life – lose your home to a flood, a fire, a tornado – what was that like for you?
Please leave your answer below by click on the "comments" link and then responding using your pen name under your comment and then selecting "anonymous" Please use correct grammar and remember to not include your first and last name.
Pat's Experience on the Gulf Coast Last Week
From left: Kayla Adams, 16, of Marquette High School, and ElizabethAngelo and Karen Bossaller, both 18, of Lafayette High School, workat tiling Linda and Joe’s laundry room in Pearlington, Mississippi.Seems I just can’t get away from Missouri – not that I want to, of course. Soon after arriving at the Pearlington Recovery Center in Mississippi, we chatted with some high school students who were alsospending their spring break doing recovery work … and then learned they were from Missouri! Turns out there were about a hundred of them– 73 students, the rest faculty – from the four public high schools in the Rockwood School District: Lafayette in Ballwin; Eureka in Eureka; Marquette in Chesterfield, and Rockwood Summit in Fenton.(These towns are on the eastern side of the state, near St. Louis.)The next day, my family and I found ourselves working in the samehome as one of the Missouri crews. Here’s a picture of three of the girls getting ready to tile a room. Yes, they did it all: Cut the tiles with a wet saw, cemented them to the floor, placed the spacers,and returned the following day to do the grouting. And it looked great when they were done. Meanwhile, their classmates were busy sheetrocking a bedroom ceiling. Wow.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Shout Out to Westfair Christian Academy in the Land of Lincoln
Sending a shout out to the WCA!
This was taken when the 7th through 10th grade classes from Westfair Christian Academy (WCA) went to the Abraham Lincoln museum and Library in Springfield, IL as part of our unit on the Civil War.
The 7th and 8th graders read Guerrilla Season last month and now the 9th and 10th graders are reading it and blogging with you all.
Thanks for joining our blog project Westfair Christian Academy - you rock!
Week 3 Welcome
Hello and welcome to Week 3 of the Guerrilla Season 2008 book blog project covering the dates of March 25 through March 30. This week we encourage all participants to read Chapters 18 through 27, which covers pages 155 to 242 in the novel. We are roughly half way through the project. The students from South Valley Jr. High in Liberty are just returning from their spring break and will be back in school on March 25th.
If you are reading the novel with us we encourage you to send a quick note to us at speakingofhistory@gmail.com Also, if you are just dropping to take a quick peek at the project we would also be interested in your thoughts and reactions.
Have fun and happy reading. We think we have some great discussion questions for you this week. We recently had visitors drop in from Iran and the United Kingdom!
If you are reading the novel with us we encourage you to send a quick note to us at speakingofhistory@gmail.com Also, if you are just dropping to take a quick peek at the project we would also be interested in your thoughts and reactions.
Have fun and happy reading. We think we have some great discussion questions for you this week. We recently had visitors drop in from Iran and the United Kingdom!
Final Project Options
At the end of the Guerrilla Season book blog project we are asking each student participant to complete one of the following options as a final project. There are five options which should appeal to a variety of learning styles. Please choose a minimum of one - if you wish to do more than one that would be awesome.
These projects will be due on midnight of April 4, 2008. We will be posting some examples of student projects on the blog so we encourage you to turn in a digital copy of your work (graphic, word document, MP3 file, etc.) to the following e-mail: bookblogproject@gmail.com
Please choose a minimum of one - if you wish to do more than one that would be awesome. Your project is worth 25 possible points.
Option#1 - Design a Book Cover
Imagine that Pat Hughes has contacted you to design a new cover for the paperback version of Guerrilla Season. The cover should include the name of the novel and the name of the author. You decide what images you want on the cover that represent the novel. The image should fit on a standard sheet of paper – around 8” by 10”. The image needs to be in full color and send as an image to the e-mail address.
Option #2 - Write an Alternate Ending to the Novel
Here is your chance to write a different ending to the novel Guerrilla Season. You can change the last couple of pages or just simply add on to the current ending. Your alternate ending should be at least 200 words.
Option #3 - Interview a Character
Sit down and conduct an interview with any of the characters from Guerrilla Season. Your interview should be a minimum of 5 questions. You can turn in a typed paper copy of your interview or record the interview in audio format using the Audacity program and then turn in the MP3 file as your final project.
Option #4 - Comic Book Scene
Take a favorite scene from the novel and create a 9 panel comic strip depicting the scene. You can use makers or colored pencils. Be sure to include some text on the comic strip and include a short description of the scene you are depicting in your comic.
Option #5 - Poem
Write a poem inspired from the novel. You can focus on a character, an event, an emotion or a feeling. You are free to use any format you wish for your poem. You may turn in a typed copy of your poem or turn in an audio version recorded with the Audacity program.
These projects will be due on midnight of April 4, 2008. We will be posting some examples of student projects on the blog so we encourage you to turn in a digital copy of your work (graphic, word document, MP3 file, etc.) to the following e-mail: bookblogproject@gmail.com
Please choose a minimum of one - if you wish to do more than one that would be awesome. Your project is worth 25 possible points.
Option#1 - Design a Book Cover
Imagine that Pat Hughes has contacted you to design a new cover for the paperback version of Guerrilla Season. The cover should include the name of the novel and the name of the author. You decide what images you want on the cover that represent the novel. The image should fit on a standard sheet of paper – around 8” by 10”. The image needs to be in full color and send as an image to the e-mail address.
Option #2 - Write an Alternate Ending to the Novel
Here is your chance to write a different ending to the novel Guerrilla Season. You can change the last couple of pages or just simply add on to the current ending. Your alternate ending should be at least 200 words.
Option #3 - Interview a Character
Sit down and conduct an interview with any of the characters from Guerrilla Season. Your interview should be a minimum of 5 questions. You can turn in a typed paper copy of your interview or record the interview in audio format using the Audacity program and then turn in the MP3 file as your final project.
Option #4 - Comic Book Scene
Take a favorite scene from the novel and create a 9 panel comic strip depicting the scene. You can use makers or colored pencils. Be sure to include some text on the comic strip and include a short description of the scene you are depicting in your comic.
Option #5 - Poem
Write a poem inspired from the novel. You can focus on a character, an event, an emotion or a feeling. You are free to use any format you wish for your poem. You may turn in a typed copy of your poem or turn in an audio version recorded with the Audacity program.
Week #3 Podcast - Supernatural Events and Why This Topic?
Hello. This week when you listen to the Guerrilla Season podcast you'll hear about some supernatural things that started to happened to author Pat Hughes as she wrote the novel. She will also answer one of the most commonly asked questions on the blog during the project: "Why did you decide to write about Missouri and this particular time period?".To listen just click on the direct link and it will play on your computer. You may also download to your computer and listen on your i-Pod or MP3 player.
Direct link to listen to Guerrilla Season Podcast #3 - Supernatural Events and Why This Topic? - MP3 Format - 13:30 Minutes
Please leave your answer below by click on the "comments" link and then responding using your pen name under your comment and then selecting "anonymous" Please use correct grammar and remember to not include your first and last name.
Week #3 - General Discussion Question - What Do You Think About the Project
Think of this place as a sort of local coffee shop. If you have a comment or specific response to a question posted as a blog entry please post it there but if you have a general comment and don't know where else to post it please do so here. It might be a question or just a general observation - go ahead and post it.
Visitors to the blog - please feel free to leave a comment at this post about your impressions on the book blog project. We'd love to hear from you.
Please leave your answer below by click on the "comments" link and then responding using your pen name under your comment and then selecting "anonymous" Please use correct grammar and remember to not include your first and last name.
Visitors to the blog - please feel free to leave a comment at this post about your impressions on the book blog project. We'd love to hear from you.
Please leave your answer below by click on the "comments" link and then responding using your pen name under your comment and then selecting "anonymous" Please use correct grammar and remember to not include your first and last name.
Week #3 - Actual Oath in Liberty, Missouri Museum
Above is an actual oath used in Clay County in 1862 given to those thought to be guerrillas aiding the southern effort. This is an earlier version than the one quoted in the novel Guerrilla Season but is very similar to what Matt was forced to sign in the field. Click on the picture to see a larger version.
This artifact is currently on display in Liberty, Missouri at the Clay County Historical Society Museum located downtown on the historic square. Check it out if you live in Liberty. It is an incredible artifact!
Check out the name of the county on the oath - HOWARD! Very odd considering that Howard was the name Pat used for the last name of Matt's family and she had never seen a copy of this artifact until today!
Here are some comments from Pat:
Eric and everybody - What an awesome post! To be able to see the real thing -- it just chills me. Oh that I were in Liberty and could see it in person. But the wonders of the Web are once again brought to bear. ...
Especially interesting to me is the use of the term "provisional government" - i.e. the oath-taker is promising to bear true allegiance to the "provisional government of the state of Missouri," meaning the Union government that took over Missouri after running elected Gov. Claiborne Jackson & his government out of the state.
I also wanted to point out that this oath, dated 1862, pre-dates the oath that Matt takes in "Guerrilla Season." I found Matt's oath in Michael Fellman's "Inside War: The Guerrilla Conflict in Missouri During the American Civil War." Fellman writes that in 1863, Union officials "codified a system of oaths and bonds which had been developed in various forms in the field. When a suspected guerrilla sympathizer was arrested he would take the following oath:" Fellman then gives the oath that I used in "Guerrilla Season."
Thanks Eric for showing us this amazing piece of history! - Pat
Week #3 - Discussion Question - The Oath
In Chapter 25 Matt is forced to take an oath to pledge his loyalty to the Union. He almost cannot do it but does anyway because he fears what would happen to him if he doesn't say it. (pages 226 to 230)Have you ever had to say something that you knew wasn't how you truly felt but you had to do it because it would result in fewer problems for yourself or others?
Please answer this question by posting a comment to this blog entry by clicking on the "comments" link below this post. Please remember to use either your first name only or no name. Any comments with full names will not be posted. Thanks.
Week #3 - Ask Pat - What Are You Thinking?
Here is your chance to ask the author of Guerrilla Season a question. Go ahead and leave a comment - she is answering any question you have. We know you have a question so go ahead and ASK PAT!Please leave your answer below by click on the "comments" link and then responding using your pen name under your comment and then selecting "anonymous" Please use correct grammar and remember to not include your first and last name.
Week #3 - Pat Asks You - The Civil War and the War in Iraq
The style of warfare used in Missouri to fight much of the Civil War is described as "guerrilla warfare" - a method of combat by which a smaller group of combatants attempts to use its mobility to defeat a larger, and consequently less mobile, army (source: wikipedia) If you have been following the war in Iraq this term is often used to describe the warfare which currently takes place on the streets of that country every day.
What similarities do you see with the guerrilla warfare tactics used in Missouri in 1863 and Iraq in 2008?
Please leave your answer below by click on the "comments" link and then responding using your pen name under your comment and then selecting "anonymous" Please use correct grammar and remember to not include your first and last name.
Week #3 - Question About Favorite and Least Favorite Characters
You should be a little more than half way through the novel now and the characters have been developed. Tell us who your favorite character in the novel is right now and who your least favorite character is right now. Please give an example or reason why you feel this way about the characters. Of course there are no right or wrong answers, just your opinion.Please leave your answer below by click on the "comments" link and then responding using your pen name under your comment and then selecting "anonymous" Please use correct grammar and remember to not include your first and last name.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Shout Out to Van Avery Prep Middle School in California
A huge Show Me State Shout Out to Mrs. Bolton's class at Van Avery Prep Middle School in Temecula, California. Thanks for joining the 2008 Guerrilla Season Book Blog Project.If your school is participating please ask your teacher to send a photo to bookblogproject@gmail.com if you would like it posted for a shout out.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Letter From Guerrilla Season Author Pat Hughes
Dear Bloggers –
I’d like to start week two with a belated hello and thank you to all participating in this, the second “Guerrilla Season” blog – students, teachers, parents, administrators, and community members. South Valley Junior High, hello again! Westfair Christian Academy in Illinois, and whoever else is out there that I don’t yet know about – I see several other states on the live feed – welcome! I’ve been very impressed by the comments and questions so far, and hope we can get some good discussions going.
Spring break – at least for me and for Liberty – is happening during the blog this year, so we’ll be taking a hiatus, but I wanted to let you know that I’ll be offline a few days longer than most. My family and I are traveling to the gulf coast to do Hurricane Katrina recovery work in Pearlington, Mississippi. We’ll be leaving on Thursday, returning on March 24. I have no idea what to expect in Pearlington, so I look forward to posting about that when I return. If I get near a computer while I'm down there, I'll blog from there.
Last but not least, I want to express my gratitude to Mr. Langhorst for being such an enthusiastic proponent of “Guerrilla Season,” since its publication in 2003 … and for being such an awesome educator. I was absolutely delighted when he was named Missouri’s Teacher of the Year for 2007-08 and would like to congratulate him for earning that well-deserved title!
OK … let’s blog.
-Pat
I’d like to start week two with a belated hello and thank you to all participating in this, the second “Guerrilla Season” blog – students, teachers, parents, administrators, and community members. South Valley Junior High, hello again! Westfair Christian Academy in Illinois, and whoever else is out there that I don’t yet know about – I see several other states on the live feed – welcome! I’ve been very impressed by the comments and questions so far, and hope we can get some good discussions going.
Spring break – at least for me and for Liberty – is happening during the blog this year, so we’ll be taking a hiatus, but I wanted to let you know that I’ll be offline a few days longer than most. My family and I are traveling to the gulf coast to do Hurricane Katrina recovery work in Pearlington, Mississippi. We’ll be leaving on Thursday, returning on March 24. I have no idea what to expect in Pearlington, so I look forward to posting about that when I return. If I get near a computer while I'm down there, I'll blog from there.
Last but not least, I want to express my gratitude to Mr. Langhorst for being such an enthusiastic proponent of “Guerrilla Season,” since its publication in 2003 … and for being such an awesome educator. I was absolutely delighted when he was named Missouri’s Teacher of the Year for 2007-08 and would like to congratulate him for earning that well-deserved title!
OK … let’s blog.
-Pat
Recommended Video About Quantrill
As a note to all teachers, or others interested in learning more about Quantrill and his gang, the classes in Liberty have been watching a great video that describes many of the historical events and people mentioned in Guerrilla Season. It is a video from the History Channel entitled "In Search of History : Quantrill's Raiders". Students in Liberty watched the first part last week and will finish it this week. It is a 50 minute documentary and very well done. If you have the opportunity please check it out.
Week #2 - Welcome
Hello and welcome to Week #2 of the Guerrilla Season Book Blog project. This week, March 10th through March 16th, we will be covering Chapters 10 through 17 (pages 77 through 155). This week will include some new discussion questions, links to learn more and a podcast with author Pat Hughes.
Last week we had over 135 comments from students from all over the country. If you didn't comment last week please join in on the conversation this week. Pat answered some great questions about the book and the pace of the book really starts to pick up this week.
Last week we had over 135 comments from students from all over the country. If you didn't comment last week please join in on the conversation this week. Pat answered some great questions about the book and the pace of the book really starts to pick up this week.
Please let us know if you have a comment or question. If you would like to join us please drop in, we are only starting week 2 of a 4 week project. Send any comments to bookblogproject@gmail.com
Week #2 - Podcast - Mistakes, Naming Characters and Writing
Many of you have asked Pat about how she finds names for all the characters in her books. The Week 2 Podcast for the Guerrilla Season Book Blog Project will answer that question along with how Pat caught a mistake in the novel before it was published and how she prepares to write. To listen to the podcast on your computer just click on the link below and it will play on your computer. You can also right click and select "save as" to save to it your computer and then move to your MP3 player.Direct link to Guerrilla Season Podcast #2 - Mistakes, Naming Characters and Writing - MP3 Format - 9:00 Minutes
If you have any questions or comments about the podcast please add a comment by selecting the "comment" link below this post or send an e-mail to bookblogproject@gmail.com
Week #2 - Question #1 - Pat Asks You
The author of "Guerrilla Season", Pat Hughes, wants to ask you a question about the book:One criticism I've heard about "GS" is that there's too much violence and too much swearing in a book for young adults. Do you agree?
Please leave your answer below by click on the "comments" link and then responding using your pen name under your comment and then selecting "anonymous" Please use correct grammar and remember to not include your first and last name.
Week #2 - Question #2 - Hurting A Woman?
On page 115 of "Guerrilla Season", Matt's mom says that she always opens the door first when there are visitors on their place because "they wouldn't kill a woman - neither side would. That remained the only civilized part of this whole mess."What did she mean by that statement? Why would neither side hurt a woman?
Please leave your answer below by click on the "comments" link and then responding using your pen name under your comment and then selecting "anonymous" Please use correct grammar and remember to not include your first and last name.
Week #2 - Question #3 - The Importance of Mail
On page 89 Matt's family discusses the important news from Pennsylvania which comes in the form of a letter. Matt's mom even comments on the speed with which the mail arrived to Missouri from the east coast: "A bit less than two weeks in transit. That seems quick, for these times." Mail in the mid 1800's was a big event. Today we often find junk mail and ads on a daily basis but for the time period described in the book, each piece of mail was treasured. Have you ever waited for a letter or a package to come to your house by mail?
What is the most anticipated letter or package you have ever received?
Please leave your answer below by click on the "comments" link and then responding using your pen name under your comment and then selecting "anonymous" Please use correct grammar and remember to not include your first and last name.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Dr. Gawerecki Joins the Book Blog Project
Dr. Julie Gawerecki - Assistant Principal here at South Valley Jr. High School in Liberty - has picked up her copy of Guerrilla Season and is ready to read and blog! Great to have one of our administrators reading along with us! Thanks Dr. Gawerecki!Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Please check your comments
Hello. Thanks so much for all the comments which have been made to the blog. It is great to see the conversations from so many different locations.
Just a quick reminder on the format of the comments. Please remember to post your comments in complete sentences and using correct grammar. We are beginning to have quite a few comments come in with "i" instead of "I" as well as a lack of periods, etc. These comments in the future will not be published. Since we have a wide variety of visitors to the blog we would like to maintain high quality writing, just as your teacher would expect in your classroom.
As the moderator of the blog, I'm sure that I make many mistakes but we want to try to put our best work on display when possible. Thanks for your cooperation.
Mr. Langhorst
South Valley Jr. High School
Liberty, Missouri
Just a quick reminder on the format of the comments. Please remember to post your comments in complete sentences and using correct grammar. We are beginning to have quite a few comments come in with "i" instead of "I" as well as a lack of periods, etc. These comments in the future will not be published. Since we have a wide variety of visitors to the blog we would like to maintain high quality writing, just as your teacher would expect in your classroom.
As the moderator of the blog, I'm sure that I make many mistakes but we want to try to put our best work on display when possible. Thanks for your cooperation.
Mr. Langhorst
South Valley Jr. High School
Liberty, Missouri
Monday, March 3, 2008
Week #1 - Introduction to the Week
Welcome to the official start of the 2008 Guerrilla Season Book Blog Project. During this four week adventure there will be roughly 300 eighth grade students at South Valley Jr High in Liberty, Missouri reading Guerrilla Season by Pat Hughes along with teachers, parents and community members along with participating schools from around the country and some individuals from other countries. If you are joining us please drop us a line at bookblogproject@gmail.com so that we can give you a shout out!
Week 1 will take place from March 3,2008 until March 9, 2008. The reading assignment for that week if you would like to keep pace with the other participants is the first 9 chapters - pages 1 through 76. We will be reading about 80 pages a week during the 4 week project.There will be several questions posted each week in the form of blog posts. Some are general questions and some deal with a specific part of the novel. Pat Hughes will also be asking her own questions for you to answer throughout the project. Each week there is also a blog entry named Ask Pat. This is your opportunity to ask the author of the book a question and she will answer it! If you think of a great question about the novel you would like others to respond to just send us an e-mail at bookblogproject@gmail.com and we'll put it up for you online.
We would like to ask you to keep in mind two things when posting a comment to the blog: 1) Use the best grammar possible. This blog is accessible to anyone in the world with Internet access so please use correct grammar in your comment. We understand that people will make mistakes and we'll make our fair share but we want to put our best foot forward. 2) When you post a comment please select "anonymous" and then include the "pen name" that you gave your teacher. All comments are first screened and moderated by Mr. Langhorst and Pat Hughes. Any comment with a large number of errors in grammar, unappropriate or listing your real name will not be posted on the blog.
Each week we will have other special features to help you discover more about the novel. We will have links to people and places mentioned in the reading so that you can learn more. There will be audio clips from interviews with author Pat Hughes to give you a "behind the cover" look at Guerrilla Season. This project is intended to be an interactive experience. If you think of something that would help the project let us know at bookblogproject@gmail.com
Enough said. Let's go.........
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Overview of the 2008 Guerrilla Season Book Blog Project
What is Guerrilla Season?
Guerrilla Season is a historical novel by Pat Hughes. The book describes Clay County at the start of the Civil War. Liberty is mentioned several times during the book. Most of the characters in the novel are actual people who lived in this area in the mid 1800’s.
Why is this called a “Book Blog Project”?
Since this book will be read by over 300 students at South Valley Jr. High along with parents, community members, students from around the country and people participating from other countries – we need a place to virtually meet to discuss the book. To do this we will be “meeting” online at a blog. A blog is sort of like an online journal with the newest content always at the top of the page. We will be using the blog to post questions, have discussions with the author, check out links for additional information and display student work about the project. The address for the site is : www.guerrillaseason2008.blogspot.com
How many pages of the novel are we to read each week?
We will be reading the novel over the next 4 weeks. (Our spring break week is in the middle of this project and is not included in the 4 weeks). Each week you will be responsible for reading roughly 80 pages. Here is the reading schedule for the project:
Week 1 - March 3 – March 9 - Read pages 1 through 76
Week 2 - March 10 – March 16 - Read pages 77 through 155
(March 17 – March 24 - Spring Break – No School)
Week 3 - March 24 – March 30 - Read pages 156 through 242
Week 4 - March 31 – April 4 - Read pages 243 through 326
Besides reading the book what I am required to do for this project?
You will be asked to comment to the blog at least twice during the project, create a final project and take a test over the novel. The entire project is worth 100 possible points and is broken down in this manner : posting two comments (25 points), final project (25 points) and the end of novel test (50 points).
How do I post a comment to the blog about the novel?
At the bottom of each post on the blog you will see a link that says “comments”. You will click on that link and then type your comment or question followed by your “pen name”. Your teacher will be recording your pen name. Then select “Anonymous ”. Your comment will be sent to your teacher for approval. Once it has been approved it will be posted on the site. Inappropriate comments will not be posted to the blog. Correct spelling and grammar are required for your post. You are required to post a minimum of two comments during the four week project.
What options do I have for the final project?
At the end of the Guerrilla Season book blog project we are asking each student participant to complete one of the following options as a final project. There are six options which should appeal to a variety of learning styles. Please choose a minimum of one - if you wish to do more than one that would be awesome. Your project is worth 25 possible points. These projects will be due on Friday - April 4, 2008. We will be posting some examples of student projects on the blog so we encourage you to turn in a digital copy of your work (graphic, word document, MP3 file, etc.) to the following e-mail: bookblogproject@gmail.com
Option #1 - Design a Book Cover
Imagine that Pat Hughes has contacted you to design a new cover for the paperback version of Guerrilla Season. The cover should include the name of the novel and the name of the author. You decide what images you want on the cover that represent the novel. The image should fit on a standard sheet of paper – around 8” by 10”. The image needs to be in full color and send as an image to the e-mail address.
Option #2 - Write an Alternate Ending to the Novel
Here is your chance to write a different ending to the novel Guerrilla Season. You can change the last couple of pages or just simply add on to the current ending. Your alternate ending should be at least 200 words.
Option #3 - Interview a Character
Sit down and conduct an interview with any of the characters from Guerrilla Season. Your interview should be a minimum of 5 questions. You can turn in a typed paper copy of your interview or record the interview in audio format using the Audacity program and then turn in the MP3 file as your final project.
Option #4 - Comic Book Scene
Take a favorite scene from the novel and create a 9 panel comic strip depicting the scene. You can use makers or colored pencils. Be sure to include some text on the comic strip and include a short description of the scene you are depicting in your comic.
Option #5 - Poem
Write a poem inspired from the novel. You can focus on a character, an event, an emotion or a feeling. You are free to use any format you wish for your poem. You may turn in a typed copy of your poem or turn in an audio version recorded with the Audacity program.
Guerrilla Season is a historical novel by Pat Hughes. The book describes Clay County at the start of the Civil War. Liberty is mentioned several times during the book. Most of the characters in the novel are actual people who lived in this area in the mid 1800’s.
Why is this called a “Book Blog Project”?
Since this book will be read by over 300 students at South Valley Jr. High along with parents, community members, students from around the country and people participating from other countries – we need a place to virtually meet to discuss the book. To do this we will be “meeting” online at a blog. A blog is sort of like an online journal with the newest content always at the top of the page. We will be using the blog to post questions, have discussions with the author, check out links for additional information and display student work about the project. The address for the site is : www.guerrillaseason2008.blogspot.com
How many pages of the novel are we to read each week?
We will be reading the novel over the next 4 weeks. (Our spring break week is in the middle of this project and is not included in the 4 weeks). Each week you will be responsible for reading roughly 80 pages. Here is the reading schedule for the project:
Week 1 - March 3 – March 9 - Read pages 1 through 76
Week 2 - March 10 – March 16 - Read pages 77 through 155
(March 17 – March 24 - Spring Break – No School)
Week 3 - March 24 – March 30 - Read pages 156 through 242
Week 4 - March 31 – April 4 - Read pages 243 through 326
Besides reading the book what I am required to do for this project?
You will be asked to comment to the blog at least twice during the project, create a final project and take a test over the novel. The entire project is worth 100 possible points and is broken down in this manner : posting two comments (25 points), final project (25 points) and the end of novel test (50 points).
How do I post a comment to the blog about the novel?
At the bottom of each post on the blog you will see a link that says “comments”. You will click on that link and then type your comment or question followed by your “pen name”. Your teacher will be recording your pen name. Then select “Anonymous ”. Your comment will be sent to your teacher for approval. Once it has been approved it will be posted on the site. Inappropriate comments will not be posted to the blog. Correct spelling and grammar are required for your post. You are required to post a minimum of two comments during the four week project.
What options do I have for the final project?
At the end of the Guerrilla Season book blog project we are asking each student participant to complete one of the following options as a final project. There are six options which should appeal to a variety of learning styles. Please choose a minimum of one - if you wish to do more than one that would be awesome. Your project is worth 25 possible points. These projects will be due on Friday - April 4, 2008. We will be posting some examples of student projects on the blog so we encourage you to turn in a digital copy of your work (graphic, word document, MP3 file, etc.) to the following e-mail: bookblogproject@gmail.com
Option #1 - Design a Book Cover
Imagine that Pat Hughes has contacted you to design a new cover for the paperback version of Guerrilla Season. The cover should include the name of the novel and the name of the author. You decide what images you want on the cover that represent the novel. The image should fit on a standard sheet of paper – around 8” by 10”. The image needs to be in full color and send as an image to the e-mail address.
Option #2 - Write an Alternate Ending to the Novel
Here is your chance to write a different ending to the novel Guerrilla Season. You can change the last couple of pages or just simply add on to the current ending. Your alternate ending should be at least 200 words.
Option #3 - Interview a Character
Sit down and conduct an interview with any of the characters from Guerrilla Season. Your interview should be a minimum of 5 questions. You can turn in a typed paper copy of your interview or record the interview in audio format using the Audacity program and then turn in the MP3 file as your final project.
Option #4 - Comic Book Scene
Take a favorite scene from the novel and create a 9 panel comic strip depicting the scene. You can use makers or colored pencils. Be sure to include some text on the comic strip and include a short description of the scene you are depicting in your comic.
Option #5 - Poem
Write a poem inspired from the novel. You can focus on a character, an event, an emotion or a feeling. You are free to use any format you wish for your poem. You may turn in a typed copy of your poem or turn in an audio version recorded with the Audacity program.
Week #1 - Question 1 - Taking Sides
In the beginning of the novel we discover quickly that life in Missouri in 1863 was uneasy. When someone came to your door you didn't know what you should say if they asked whether you supported the Federal troops or the guerillas with Quantrill. The wrong answer could get the men of the house killed and your place burned to the ground. Matt and his family really tried to walk a fine line between the two sides and not support either in public.Have you ever had a time in your life when you had to be careful not to take sides - when making a stand in public or with your friends for one side or the other of an issue may get you in trouble so you just sort of tried to avoid the issue? Give an example of a time you had to not say which side you may or may not support.
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Please remember to use correct grammar when making a comment and post only using "anonymous" and signing your "pen name".
Week #1 - Question 2 - Pat Asks You
The author of Guerrilla Season, Pat Hughes, will ask the readers of the novel questions throughout the book blog project and comment on the answers.
Her first question focuses on the historical aspect of the novel. She asks: "Do you know what role (if any) any of your ancestors or members of your family had in the Civil War?"
Please describe any background your family may have had in the Civil War in the comments to this blog post. Please remember to use correct grammar and post only as "anonymous" and sign your "pen name".
Week #1 - Question 3 - Who is Watching?
On the last page of the reading assignment for week 1 - page 76 - Matt senses something. The last night of Chapter 9 reads: "Walking down the lane, he had the unsettling notion that he was being watched.
"Who do you think is watching Matt?
Please leave your guess and why they would be watching him as a comment to this blog post. Remember to use correct grammar and comment only with your pen name.
"Who do you think is watching Matt?
Please leave your guess and why they would be watching him as a comment to this blog post. Remember to use correct grammar and comment only with your pen name.
Week #1 - Question 4 - You Ask Pat A Question
How often do you get the chance to ask the author of the book you are reading a question? Well, during this project you have access to the author of Guerrilla Season - Pat Hughes. She will answer any question you may have about the novel, questions specific to being a writer, anything. Just leave a comment to this blog post and she will respond to your question with a post in the same comments list.
Just remember to use correct grammar and list yourself as "anonymous" and list your pen name. Go ahead, ask her a question....
Just remember to use correct grammar and list yourself as "anonymous" and list your pen name. Go ahead, ask her a question....
Week #1 - Podcast "Researching the Novel"
Take a listen to Guerrilla Season author Pat Hughes describe how see did the research for this historical novel. It isnt' as easy as just sitting down and writing - she used e-Bay, riding lessons and the Internet to make this novel historically correct. This audio file is a mini-podcast that you can listen to through the internet but clicking on the link below or you can right click on the link below and then save it to your computer and move it over to a portable MP3 player. This file is 10:35 minutes long. Let us know what you think in the comments below or e-mail us at bookblogproject@gmail.com
Week #1 - Links to Learn More
During the reading assignment for Week #1 there were many references to historical events and famous famous. I have found some interesting links to help you discover more about some of these events and people with the page number of the book where it appears. If you come across any other links that you would like to share with the other participants please include them in a comment to this blog post. Just remember to comment under "anonymous" with your pen name.
General Sterling Price - page 8
Wilson's Creek - page 8
Jim Lane - page 17
John Brown - page 18
"Bleeding Kansas" - page 18
Doc Jennison - page 18
Emanicipation Proclamation - page 24
War of 1812 - page 32
Battle of New Orleans - page page 32
Sunday, January 27, 2008
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