Reactions to August's Appearance

When August is in public, people's reactions to his facial differences are extreme and hurtful. He describes feeling like the North Pole, with people acting like compass needles always pointing at him.

Example: Kids often run away screaming or even start crying when they see August.

At school, August faces cruel treatment:

• He is called names like "freak"
• Other students act disgusted if they accidentally touch him
• People treat him like he has "the plague"

Vocabulary: Plague - A highly infectious, usually fatal disease that spreads quickly.

At school events, August feels particularly self-conscious as parents and students stare at him. The constant attention and negative reactions take a toll on August's self-esteem and sense of belonging.

Responding to People with Disabilities

The narrator reflects on how to appropriately interact with people who have disabilities or visible differences. They suggest:

1. It's natural to look briefly, but avoid prolonged staring
2. If the person notices you looking, offer a friendly smile
3. Don't make a big deal out of their appearance or disability
4. Treat them normally, as they already face many challenges

Highlight: The goal is to make the person feel more comfortable and accepted, not to draw additional attention to their differences.

The narrator emphasizes that people with disabilities don't need additional scrutiny or awkwardness from others. A simple smile and normal treatment can go a long way in making them feel more accepted and happier in social situations.

English Test on "Wonder"

This page outlines a test on R.J. Palacio's novel "Wonder". The test consists of three main tasks:

1. Summarize the chapter "The Performance Space" $pages 34-37$
2. Explain the problems August faces due to classmates and people outside of school
3. Describe appropriate reactions to a person with a disability

Highlight: Students are reminded to carefully check their writing before submitting.

This test assesses students' comprehension of key plot points, character challenges, and themes of acceptance in the novel. It also encourages critical thinking about real-world application of the book's lessons on interacting with people who have differences.

Feedback Form for English Text Production

This page presents a detailed rubric for evaluating English writing assignments, likely used by teachers to grade student work on "Wonder". The criteria include:

1. Content

   • Summary quality (umbrella sentence, accuracy, key points)
   • Discussion of August's problems
   • Explanation of how to react to people with disabilities

2. Language Use

   • Appropriate and varied expression
   • Use of connectors and complex sentence structures

3. Grammar/Syntax/Spelling

   • Points awarded based on error frequency

Definition: Umbrella sentence - An overarching statement that introduces the main idea of a paragraph or section.

The rubric provides specific descriptors for different performance levels, allowing for nuanced evaluation of student writing. It emphasizes both content understanding and language proficiency in assessing responses to the novel.

The Performance Space

Charlotte, Julian and Jack are giving August a tour of the school. Charlotte talks enthusiastically about the school play, explaining that August could help with lighting or backdrops even if he's not acting.

Julian makes rude comments, implying August isn't smart enough for the challenging science elective. Charlotte defends August, saying he was homeschooled and will do fine. Jack tries to move them along to the library.

Highlight: Jack whispers to August that Julian is a jerk, showing early signs of friendship.

August feels good about Jack's supportive attitude. As they leave, August stumbles into Julian but doesn't feel sorry about it.

Quote: "August notices that Julian makes rude comments about his appearance, asking why his hair is so long and what happened to his face."

This scene establishes the initial dynamics between August and his classmates, foreshadowing future conflicts and alliances.