TTEric

1. Put yourself in place of one of the boys who escaped the crash but was forced to watch "helplessly as Rob died". What is going through your head? How do you feel physically and mentally ?How do you think that you will feel tomorrow?

2. When you hear or read of a car accident that involved teenagers, what do you assume is the cause of the accident - drinking, speed - drugs? What about if you hear about a car accident involving the elderly? Explain your answers.

3. Andy and Rob have their own slang and manner of speaking. On the surface they seem to be putting each other down, but it is clear to us that they are close friends who respect each other. What purpose does this style of language serve? Does it draw kids closer together? Does it set you off from others? Explain.

4. In a paragraph rich with sensory detail, write about your own most frightening moment.

6. Even though many people cried, Rhonda did not cry after the accident occured; she was angry. When or if a public tragedy occurs and it is not someone in your immediate family (9/11/01), how do you respond? Explain.

7. One //Herald// editorial says that statistics don't usually "mean much, but this statistic (Rob) had a name, face,..."When we hear of a statistic such as this that reports someone dying in a drunk-driving accident every 18 minutes - how do you feel? Do you agree that it is hard to feel emotional about the numbers when you do not have a face to relate it to?

8. In his homework assigment, Gerald writes that he would rid the world of 3 things. What 3 things would you rid the world of? Stick to concrete items, and back up your choices with personal reasons why you are eliminating them.

9. Neither of Andy's parents bother to show up for the game. How important is it for you that your parents turn out for the events in which you participate? Explain.

10.Andy mentions that some kids at school haven't looked him in the face since the accident; one even taped a mean note to his locker. How would you treat Andy now? Elaborate.

11.Does doing homework help you to perform better on tests? Does homework seem purposeful to you, or is it basically a waste of time? What alternate do you suggest? Defend your answerwith three (3) points.

12. Do you feel that your parents 'get' you or don't understand you at all? What makes you think this? Explain.

13.Andy believed that his friends would talk about him if he won academic awards. Then consider Marcus's unpopularity due to his achievement. Is academic failure or apathy built into teenager's notions about what is 'cool'? What effect does academic achievement have on you?

14. We learn about Andy's grades and study habits. Do you think the guidance counselor who advised him against going into pre-law was being realistic or unfair? Defend your answer.

15. In a class discussion, Keisha says, "All of us at one time or another feel like a cinder among the snowflakes. You stand out when you just want to blend in, you get noticed whether you want to or not". In a paragraph, write about when you have felt like a "cinder among the snowflakes". . 16. Andy envisions Monty will have a future as a doctor or lawyer. But when he thinks of his own future, he sees a blank, or darkness. Can you picture who you will be in 15 years? What do you envision about your future?

1. If I had to watch helplessly as one of my best friends died I think I wouldn't just watch him die. I think I would try everything physically possible to save him until he was finally dead. The day after he died I don't think I would be able to cope with the situation.

2. When I hear of a teen car crash I usually come to the conclusion that he/she was ethier drinking or texting on their cellphone. I pretty sure those are the two biggest causes of teen car crashes. If it was an elderly person that crashed I would assume that it was due to them falling asleep while they are driving or __their__ reflexes weren't fast enough and they didn't hit the brakes in time.

6. When 9/11 happened I was only 4 years old so I didn't quite understand the concept of the whole matter. If that event were to happen again now I honestly don't know how I would react to the whole situation. I'm sure I would be a little scared but other than that I don't know what my reaction would be.

TB - Run on sentence

7. When someone dies in a car crash that is not in my family I do not feel nearly as bad as when someone in my family dies in an automobile accident. You don't have as much care for someone that's not in your family.

TB - Why? Expand on this

9. When my parents don't show up for one of my sporting events I do feel bad about it. Most of the time they do show up for them so it doesn't really bother me all that much.

TB - Run on sentence

10. I would treat him a little different than before but I would try to support him through his tough time and not try to make him feel worse and commit suicide. I wouldn't treat him like a piece of crap. I would try to comfort him in some ways that he needed.

TB - Needs more development

11. I personally don't think that we need homework. I do think that it's a waste of time. I think teachers should ask if the children understand the concept of the matter and if they don't try to give them more time or try to tuter them a little bit.

12. Yes and no because they don't understand everything about you and what you do. Parents think that the life of a kid is exactly the same as when they grew up but the truth of the matter is that all of society has changed.

13. I think that academic success or failure does affect someone's popularity. I try hard on academic achievement.

14. I believe that Andy could do better in school if he would give a little more effort but I kind of agree with the counsler. If he would go for a athletic scholarship I think that would benefit him more in life.