A. After reading chapter one in the novel
My Darling, My Hamburger
by Paul Zindel students would discuss orally or write the answers to the following questions:
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1. What was Miss Fanuzzi’s answer to the question of how to stop a boy if he wants to go all the way?
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2. What underlying message was the teacher trying to get across to the students by giving such a humorous reply?
B. Assign students the task of reading chapter six in
My Darling, My Hamburger
which consists of a letter written to Sean from Liz. In the letter Liz expresses her deep emotions concerning their romantic involvement, his pressing her to have sex, and her family problems.
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1. As the students read chapter six I would ask them to look for any part of the letter with which they could identify. Then they would write about a personal experience related to that part of the letter. They would either write the assignment as an entry in their journals or as an essay.
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2. I would review the parts of a letter with the students; then I would ask them to compose a letter to a close or romantic friend in which they would discuss some aspect of their friendship or a difficult family situation. For example, a student could express in a letter their dismay over not being trusted by parents and how their parents are always searching through their things.
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3. In chapter six the “Winter Starlight Dance” is announced. With the help of our art instructor, I would ask the students to design posters for the dance. They would use large poster paper and markers or crayons.
C. The following are some general questions on the novel as a whole:
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1. Discuss in writing or orally the relation-ships between Sean and Liz. Maggie and Dennis. Also include how they are similar. How are they different?
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2. Both couples find themselves caught between desire and their fear of intimacy. What specific incidents from the novel speak to the issues of their desires and fears? Relate them in writing or orally. This is left up to the discretion of the teacher.
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3. After Liz found out that she was pregnant she made plans for the future with Sean. What were the plans? How did Sean react to Liz’s plans? Were Liz’s future plans realistic or unrealistic? Why or why not?
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4. Briefly discuss the issue of abortion and abortion services using pamphlets from the Planned Parenthood agency.
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a. Read chapter fourteen to see what effect Liz’s abortion had on her, Sean and Maggie.
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5. What adverse effect does the pregnancy have on Liz and Sean’s future?
D. In connection with the objective of wanting students to realize that premature parenthood has an impact on their lives and with the assignment to interview a teen parent or a former teen parent, the students and I would formulate a set of questions to be used in the interview.
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1. How old were you when you got pregnant?
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2. Why do you think you got pregnant? Give several reasons why.
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3. How did you react to the pregnancy? The father? Your family? His family? Your friends?
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4. Give your opinion of the following options: termination of the pregnancy, carrying the pregnancy to term, or adoption. Why do you feel this way about each option?
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5. How did your choice of having the baby affect your life?
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6. If you could live your life over, would you become a teen parent again? Why or why not?
E. These classroom activities are connected with the objective of acquainting students with some legal issues surrounding teenage pregnancy.
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1. Before distributing the handout on the rights and responsibilities of teen parents and their families I would have the students look up the definition of a list of unfamiliar words to facilitate their understanding of the legal issues:
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a. putative
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b. paternity
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c. suit
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d. enjoin
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e. fundamental
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f. terminate
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g. institute (the verb form)
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h. established
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i. trimester
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j. obligation
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k. rationale
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The class would then review the meanings of the words and I would use each word in a sentence to show its usage.
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2. I would distribute copies of the legal handout to the students. I would call on individual students to read the various sections aloud. At intervals I would answer any questions the students had or entertain any of their immediate comments on the reading material.
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The class would then discuss their opinion, debate or write their answers to the following questions formulated by the teacher:
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a. Do you think it is fair that the courts require the putative father to support the child? Shouldn’t the mother be required to provide at least half of the support? Why or why not?
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b. What recourse for support will the unwed teenager have if the father is also a minor?
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c. Do you think the pregnant minor should be able to proceed against the minor father’s parents for the unpaid amounts? Why or why not?
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d. How do you feel about a court decision that says that a putative father cannot stop an unmarried minor from aborting their child? Why?
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e. What government benefits are available to the pregnant teenager or minor parent? This particular question could be used as a mini research project where the student would be required to contact social service agencies such as the Welfare or Health Departments to find the answers.
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f. I would ask the students to silently reread the section on the handout that deals with the rights of the pregnant teen’s parents? Then I would present them with the question, “What rationale do you think there is for the courts saying that the unmarried minor living with her parents is entitled to the support of her parents, but the grandparents are under no legal obligation to support their grandchild?”