III. Post-reading

3.1. Feelings.

Girls will always read romantic novels and dream about Prince Charming. In pairs, discuss California's reading tastes. Why Sir Walter Scott?

3.2. Dreams - and reality.

American Wild West is a synonym to adventure and danger, shooting and looting. California could have had plenty of those. Name five things that the girl must have missed the most. Prioritize them and compare your lists. Prove to the group that your list is undoubtedly more realistic

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

3.3. Mothers and daughters.

It looks like the title above is both the name for a kids' game and the way to describe a family conflict. Hold a debate arguing whether the problem of misunderstanding does exist in many a family today.

3.4. Study of names.

California is not an altogether strange name for a girl. Anyway, the natural world abounds in the names given to children in the Englisn-speaking world. What do you think parents think about when they name their children like this?

Azalea

Blossom

Clover

Diamond

Flower

Rain

Amber

Beryl

Charity

Delight

Emerald

Rosemary

Could you think of more intriguing names to be given to newly born babies? Think of some, please.

3.5. Project work: reading habits survey.

Make a survey in the group to find out the most preferred book read by the majority of students in early teenage years. Use the questionnaire below. Commission one student to process the results of the survey, then publish them. You might even think about writing an article based on your research.

THE MOST MEMORABLE CHILDHOOD BOOK

1. Author ancient classical modern anonymous

2. Genre fairy-tale fantasy adventure romance satire

3. Plot realistic futuristic imaginary

4. End happy very happy even happier

3.6. Limerick writing.

Limericks are fun, and everyone knows that. A classical limerick always features some person's name or a place name coupled with an appropriate rhyme. Study the two sample poems below written by Susan Leigh and Christine Tailby. The authors were, respectively, 8 and 7 years old.

There was a young man called Jim,

Who thought he would go for a swim.

He jumped in a pool,

But felt such a fool,

Because there was no water in.

There was a young lady of Leeds,

Who was constantly doing good deeds,

As she bit her young brother,

She said to her mother,

"I"ll bind up the wound if it bleeds!'

Do you think you can try writing a limerick or two? Start with the names of the characters in the stories you've read, then refer to your group mates.

e.g. There was a young lady from Brest,

Who was never, yes, never at rest. When she...

The last line's rhyme might be zest, quest, west, test, vest, and best!

THE BLACKBERRY PIE

by Linde Pilcher