2021-2022

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Mr. Salber

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

12/06/2021 12/07/2021 12/08/2021 12/09/2021 12/10/2021

8th Grade World Geography 8th Grade World Geography 8th Grade World Geography 8th Grade World Geography 8th Grade World Geography
Students will: 1. Explore the distributions 1.
of physical
Explore and
the distributions
human occurrences
1.
of physical
Explore
withand
the
respect
distributions
human to occurrences
spatial
1.
of physical
patterns,
Explore
withand
the
arrangements,
respect
distributions
human to occurren
spatial
and
of pp
Reflect on their own cultural 2. Compare the environmental 2. Compare
consequences
the environmental
of people2.changing
Compare
consequences
thethe
physical
environmental
of people
environment
2.changing
Compare
consequences
(e.g.,
thethe
the
physical
environmental
effects
of people
environm
of ozo
cha
groups, traditions, sense of
place, and beliefs in relation
3. Explain the ways in which 3.technology
Explain theinfluences
ways in which
the 3.
human
technology
Explain
capacity
theinfluences
ways
to modify
in which
thethe
3.
human
technology
physical
Explain
capacity
environment
theinfluences
ways
to modify
in which
(e.g.,
thethe
hum
tec
ef
ph
with or conjunction to Life of Direct Instruction Direct Instruction Direct Instruction Direct Instruction
Pi Do-Now : Do Now – Map Analysis Do Now – Recap of Film Do Now – Recap of Film
Investigate and document Key terms: Guided Practice Guided Practice Guided Practice
folk life in their communities
identify physical and / or Ancestry Geographical Saving the Whales
human factors such as tradition vocabulary: Have them School 30:00–1:10:00 1:10:00–1:32:00
climate, vegetation, community circle the islands labeled Play the film to 1.10.00. Play the film to 1.32.00.
language, trade networks, beliefs If students don’t have
“Micronesia” and If students don’t have
political units, river systems, generation “Melanesia.” Explain that Worksheet 2, write the Worksheet 2, write the
and religion that constitute a
region.[9A] migration the three sections of exercises on the board exercises on the board
describe elements of culture, legend Polynesia, Micronesia, before you play the film. before you play the film.
including language, religion, myth and Melanesia make up Exercise A: Are these
beliefs and customs, prejudice statements true or false? Exercise A: Students
the region of Oceania,
institutions, and
Guided Practice which includes some 1. Koro teaches all the answer the questions.
technologies.[16B]
describe and compare Film analysis 20-30 thousand islands. firstborn boys in the 1. Does Koro discover
patterns of culture such as While Watching These categories were community. dead fish on the
language, religion, land use, 2.1 Pai’s Background adopted in the 1820s 2. Koro teaches the beach?
education, and customs that ancient traditions of 2. Does the community
00:00–30:00 based on observations
make specific regions of the
Give copies of of physical and linguistic the tribe. save the whales?
world distinctive.[17A]
describe major world Worksheet 2: Exercises culture. If the root of 3. Pai is allowed to join
religions, describe major While Watching (pages these words “-nesia” Koro’s school. Exercise B: Students
world religions, including 7 and 8) to your means islands, what do choose the correct
animism, Buddhism,
students, or write the these three words Exercise B: Rewrite this answer.
Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, summary so that it is 1. The community tries
Judaism, and Sikhism, and questions for 2.1 on the mean?
board. Play the film to (Before telling them that true. to save the big whale
their spatial distribution.[17B]
compare economic, political, 30.00. the Greek roots poly = Koro thinks that Pai is by
or social opportunities in many, micro = small, good luck for his tribe. 2. using a
different cultures for women,
and melano = black, He gives all the firstborn helicopter
ethnic and religious girls in the village 3. using a tractor

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minorities, and other Exercise A: Students give hints by giving other training. He teaches 4. using a truck
underrepresented answer the questions. words students might them mathematics and 5. using a tank
populations.[17C]
1. Who does Pai live know with the same English. He wants to find 6. Nanny Flowers is
Direct Instruction
with? prefixes: polygon, the future leader of the crying because
Do now discussion -
2. Does Porourangi polygamy, polytheism, tribe. 7. she is cold
Adult Pi: I’ve told you two
stories about what happened leave Koro? microscope, microcosm, 8. she is happy
on the ocean. Neither 3. Does Koro want a microwave, melanoma, Exercise C: Students the whales
explains the sinking of the grandson or melancholy.) answer these questions. lived
ship, and no one granddaughter? You might like to have 9. Pai is missing
can prove which story is true Explain that Polynesians them discuss these in
and which is not. In both
in the ocean
stories, the ship sinks, my
Exercise B: Write these from Hawaii to New groups, or answer in 10. Koro doesn’t
family dies, and I suffer. events on the board. Zealand all share a their own language. love her
Writer: True. Students put them in similar culture, including 1. Why does Koro throw anymore
Adult: Pi: So, which story do order. their language, physical the whale bone into
you prefer? 1. Porourangi’s wife and characteristics, and the water? Exercise C: Students
Writer: The story with the
tiger. That’s the better story.
the baby boy die. mythology. For example, 2. Who finds the whale answer these questions.
Adult Pi: (heartfelt): Thank 2. Porourangi returns both Hawaiians and bone that Koro threw You might like to have
You. And so it goes with God. home after 12 years. Maoris believe the god into the water? them discuss these in
3. Porourangi has twins, Maui created their groups, or answer in
Say what? a boy and a girl. islands by catching them their own language.
Is it that simple?
4. Porourangi names the on a fishhook and 1. When does Koro
Guided Practice
girl Paikea after the pulling them up from the realise that Pai is
Procedure
ancestor who rode the sea. There have been Paikea, the ‘Whale
1. Before Viewing Give
students an overview and whale. various theories and Rider’?
ask them to brainstorm 5. Pai lives with her lively debates about how 2. Is Pai afraid to die?
what they know about Life grandparents, Koro people got to Oceania in
of Pi. Self-Inventory: Ask and Nanny Flowers. the first place. Did they 2.4 End 1:32:00–1:38:30
them to write briefly what Play the film to 1.38.30.
6. Porourangi is angry come from the direction
they expect to see and
with Koro, and leaves. of Asia, or from If students don’t have
hear as they view the film.
2. During Viewing Prompt somewhere in South Worksheet 2, write the
students to write down the Exercise C: Students America? exercises on the board
basic film information (title, answer these questions. before you play the film.
etc.) and to take notes as You might like to have Explain to students that
they watch the film. To
them discuss the generally accepted
organize observations

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they may take notes on these in groups, or theory now is that Exercise A: Students
notebook paper or use the answer in their own people came through answer the questions.
Film Analysis Framework.
3. After Viewing Open
language. Melanesia to the 1. Does Pai die?
discussion by asking 1. Why does Pai live western region of 2. In the canoe, is Pai
students to review their with her Samoa and Tonga, leading the chant?
self-inventories. grandparents? around 1200 BC. Over a 3. Are the people in the
• How did the film differ from 2. Why does Porourangi long period of time they canoe angry?
what they expected?
• What surprised them?
leave the hospital? developed their own 4. Is Koro happy that Pai
• What tensions and 3. Does Koro like Pai? culture, and then they is with him?
contradictions did they spread relatively quickly
sense? across all of the islands
• What values were of Polynesia. Between
expressed?
• What is the main
500 and 700 AD they
message? spread to Hawaii, Tahiti,
• What are subtexts? Easter and Cook
• What would they ask the Islands, and by 1300
filmmakers? they reached New
• Someone in the film?
Use a quotation from the film
Zealand.
to spark discussion. Independent Practice
Assign students to write a Journal Reflection. Give
personal narrative about their students the following
experiences with this
tradition. Students may also assignment:
write a film synopsis or “Before the European
choose words or phrases empires were built, the
from the film to use in writing Polynesians were the
a poem. most widely dispersed
After a class discussion about
the role of this tradition in racial group on earth.
student’s lives, families, and James Cook wrote in his
your community, students journal in 1774, ‘It is
may investigate further by extraordinary that the
conducting fieldwork same Nation should
research. Working
individually or in teams, have spread themselves
students interview, over the isles in this vast
photograph, or make a film

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about your community. They Ocean from New

will be creating primary Zealand to this island
photograph, or make a film
about your community. They
[Easter Is.] which is a
will be creating primary fourth part the
sources that they can give circumference of the
back to the community globe.’ Brainstorm what
through an exhibit, web site, you know about the
film, or contribution to local
archives. Products
Polynesian people, and
Completed worksheets, what you can infer about
personal narratives, synopsis, them from their physical
poetry, interviews, environment and
storyboards, reviews, etc. accomplishments.”
Process Class discussions,
reflections, interviewing,
creating presentations,
analysis, comparing and
contrasting Life of Pi Essay
and Discussion Questions
Handout:
1.Piscine says the following
about zoos and religion:
“Certain illusions about
freedom plague them both.”
What does Piscine mean by
this?
2.Piscine’s mother says the
following: That is true. Your
father is right. Science can
teach us more about what's
out there - (With a hand to
her heart) -but not what’s in
here. Art, music, literature -
they all spring from our faith.
? Explain, in your own
words what she meant by
this. Do you agree or
disagree?
3.Analyze the following
conversation that takes place

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towards the end of the film

(between Piscine and
Okamoto): Okamoto: We
need a simpler story for our
report. One our company can
understand. A story we can
all believe. (Chiba gives Pi a
glass of water.) Young Pi:
So…..a story without things
you’ve never seen before.
Okamoto: That’s right Young
Pi: Without surprises?
Without animals or islands?
Okamoto: Yes. The truth.
4.Analyze the following
conversation that takes place
towards the end of the film
(between Piscine and
Okamoto): Adult Pi: I’ve told
you two stories about what
happened on the ocean.
Neither explains the sinking
of the ship, and no one can
prove which story is true and
which is not. In both stories,
the ship sinks, my family dies,
and I suffer. Writer: True.
Adult: Pi: So, which story do
you prefer? Writer: The story
with the tiger. That’s the
better story. Adult Pi:
(heartfelt): Thank You. And
so it goes with God.
5.Why does Piscine tell this
fantastic tale? Why does his
story “go with God”?
6.Piscine speaks of despair
being more formidable than a
tiger. Explain, in your own
words, what Piscine means
by this statement. Can you

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think of an example from your

own life where you were
overwhelmed with despair?
7.What is the Central theme
of the film? (A few choices
could be: hope, sacrifice,
and/or the idea of the hero’s
film? (A few choices could be:
hope, sacrifice, and/or the
idea of the hero’s journey.)
How does the theme you
have chosen develop over
the course of the film? What
specific details from the film
help refine the theme?
8.How does Piscine develop
over the course of the film?
Does he change? How does
his interaction with Richard
Parker change him? How is
Richard Parker an integral
part of the plot?
9.Do we need to suffer in life
to give our lives meaning?
10.What is the role of fate in
the film?

Discussion points
Why Tell the Story?
• Do you think it’s good
enough to just believe in a
god, or gods…or is the
actual god you choose to
believe in (his character
and nature) a critical
factor?
• Do you see Life of Pi as a
positive thing because it
gets viewers thinking
about the question of the
existence of God? Or is it

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a negative thing because

the movie doesn’t clearly
point to one, true God?
• If you heard that someone
had a story which would
make you believe in God,
would you want to hear it?
Are you, like the writer,
looking for something to
convince you that God is
real?
• Do you know of anyone
who has a story like Pi’s,
one which, if someone
were to hear and believe
it, would convince them of
God’s existence? Or do
you, yourself, have such a
story?
• Did you know that in the
Old Testament, the
Israelites were
commanded to repeat the
stories of what God had
done to future generations
so that they would know
who God was and His love
for His people. When
they did so, people put
their hope in God. When
they didn’t, they were
rebellious and unfaithful to
God. See Psalm 78 – I call
it “The Cautionary Tale”.
How does knowing this
affect the way you think
about Pi and his story, and
why and how he told it?
He could have told the
story of his survival,
making the adventure the

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point, or himself as hero

the point, but he was clear
from the beginning the
point of his story was to
make its hearers believe in
god.
Guilt and Religion
• Pi said Amen after his
prayer for his meal. The
writer questioned him, “I
didn’t know Hindu’s say
‘Amen’.” Pi replied,
“Catholic Hindu’s do. That
means we get to feel guilty
before hundreds of gods.”
The audience laughed.
It’s a funny line to be sure,
and anyone who has been
anywhere near religion
knows what close
bedfellows’ religion and
guilt make. But a few
questions arise from his
statement.
• Can you truly be Catholic
and Hindu, if you truly hold
to the tenets of those
religions? Doesn’t
Catholicism follow the
Bible, in which God says
you should have no other
gods before him (10
commandments and all),
and in which Jesus claims
to be THE way, THE truth
and THE life? That no one
comes to the Father (God)
except through HIM?
(John 14:6).
• Religions and
denominations may

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indeed inspire and

encourage massive
servings of guilt, but what
about Jesus (who Pi
claimed to have found in
the Catholic
church…Jesus who
astounded Pi with his
willingness have found in
the Catholic
church…Jesus who
astounded Pi with his
willingness to die for the
sins of all mankind)? Is
Jesus a promoter of guilt?
• What about Romans 8:1
“There is therefore now no
condemnation for those
who are in Christ Jesus”?
What does that mean? If
Pi truly found Jesus,
should he be also feeling
guilt before hundreds of
gods as he said?
Gods as Superheroes
• Pi said, “The gods were
my superheroes growing
up.” He mentions several
of the stories of Hindu
gods and the qualities of
strength, power and/or
character they
represented.
• How is Pi’s love of his
superhero-gods similar to
and/or different from our
American
superheroes…marvel
comics, fairytale stories,
etc .?

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• Is there something positive

about his desire to fill his
life with stories of those
who did great things?
Could his love of stories
been improved by
believing in different
stories? Were there better
ones he could have
chosen?
• You behold what you
become. Therefore, how
important is it the thing
things we behold?
• As mentioned previously,
God not only desired that
we behold the stories of
His deeds, his love, his
power and might…but he
commanded that we dwell
on them, and pass them
on (again, see Psalm 78).
Who are your
superheroes? Have you
chosen to make God and
His faithful followers your
heroes? To dwell on their
stories as your inspiration?
• Psalm 101 (which I call
“Spirituality 101”) and note
all the things David
resolves – especially for
our purposes: “ I will
ponder the way that is
blameless.” “I will not set
before my eyes anything
that is worthless.” “I will
know nothing of evil.” “I
will look with favor on the
faithful in the land.” “He
who walks in the way that

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is blameless shall minister

to me.”
Pi’s fascination with Christ
• Pi heard about Jesus and
was fascinated. “Why
would a god do that? Why
would he send his only
son to atone for the sins of
the whole world?” The
Catholic priest answered
him, “Because He loves
us. He made himself
approachable. We can’t
understand God with all
His perfection, but we can
understand His Son.” We
then hear Pi in the present
day commenting on his
thoughts at the time about
what the priest said. “That
made no sense. … But I
could not get this Christ
out of my mind. The more
I got to know Christ, the
more I liked Him.” The
movie then flashes back to
Pi as a boy, “Thank you,
Vishnu, for introducing me
to Christ.” he says.
• Do you find Christ as
fascinating as Pi did? Has
the thought of Jesus’
death for your sins
become stale to you, or is
it a puzzling amazement?
What about those around
you? Do you assume that
others know and/or do not
care, or do you realize
how many people are
mesmerized by the

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thought, even if they aren’t

sure what to do about it?
• How do you feel about the
way Jesus is presented
here? Do the writers/
filmmakers portray Jesus
in a way that is consistent
with the Bible here, or do
they miss the mark?
• How do you feel about Pi’s
response to Christ, his
fascination and his
attraction to Him? How
realistic is it?
• When people see Christ in
you and/or hear how you
portray Him, do you think
they find a representation
of Him which is as
compelling, curious and
attractive?
• Pi thanks Vishnu for
introducing him to Christ –
what do you think about
that? Can another god
introduce someone to
Jesus? another god
introduce someone to
Jesus? What are the
implications of such a
thing? Do you think Pi
feels one god is superior
to the other? Does he
think both gods are
true…and even if Pi does,
would both gods agree
with that?
All Gods are One, or at Least
Work Together?
• Pi claims, “I came to faith
through Hinduism and I

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found Christ. … But God

wasn’t finished with me
yet. He introduced himself
to me again, this time
through the name of
Allah.”
• Pi claims that god was
introducing himself to him
through his various forms
– through Jesus, Hinduism
and Allah. Do I even need
to ask the questions or is
this statement in itself
enough to keep you
talking amongst
yourselves for ages?!
• I mentioned before that in
the Bible God says you
should have no other gods
before him (10
commandments), and that
Jesus claims to be THE
way, THE truth and THE
life? That no one comes to
the Father (God) except
through HIM? (John
14:6). How do you think
Pi would respond to those
statements? How do you
think a Christian (who
believes in the Bible as
God’s inspired word – just
to be clear, since Pi would
call himself a Christian
too) would defend his
position that the God of
the Bible is the one, true
God, and wholly set apart
and distinct from Allah and
Hinduism and all others

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gods and religions on

earth?
• What do you think a
devout Muslim would think
about Pi’s statements?
Would Allah and his
followers be any more
willing to be lumped
together with Jesus and
the Christians, than Jesus
and the Christians are?
Would Islam (its core
teachings) be content to
be considered not only
equal to but the same as
the Hinduism and
Christianity, and that the
gods of all these religions
are one in the same?
• It sounds like such a nice
idea – that the various
religions can all get along
with each other because
they are really all the
same, all following the
same god, all just facets of
the same personality.
How do we know this will
work? Because Pi has
incorporated them all into
his own life. He has
become a follower of all
and it works…so it should
work for the world at
large…right? What do you
think about this? Can we
accept that Pi really does
follow those religions in
truth when those religions
have teachings which

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exclude the possibility of

such acceptance?
Pi’s Attitude before Christ
• We may disagree with Pi’s
thoughts on who God is,
but there is much to be
admired in his response to
suffering and his humility
and gratitude before the
god (whatever god he may
believe in). Here are some
of his responses to God.
“God, I give myself to you.
I am your vessel.
Whatever comes, I want to
know. Show me.” “Thank
you Lord Vishnu. Thank
you for coming in the form
of a fish and saving our
lives.” “I surrender. What
more do you want?” “God,
thank you for giving me
my life. I’m ready now.”
“Even when god seemed
to have abandoned me,
when he seemed to be
indifferent to my suffering,
he was watching me. And
when I was so close to
dying, he gave me rest.”
• What good things do you
see in Pi’s responses
above?
• How does his statement
about Vishnu and the fish
reveal a worldview that is
different from the Christian
worldview?
• How do you think Pi
maintains his gratitude,

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even in the midst of such

suffering and tribulation?
• Why do you think a
Christian has reason to
maintain a posture of joy,
gratitude and submission
to God, despite the
circumstances?
• Pi says that god gave him
rest (remember the quote
from above? “… when I
was so close to dying, he
gave me rest.”).
• Do you know that rest is
very important to God in
the Bible—starting with
God resting himself on the
seventh day after creating
the world, to his
commandment to maintain
a Sabbath or day of rest,
to Jesus’s claims that He
came to give us rest?
What do you know about
rest from a Biblical
perspective? ·Which is the
Better Story?
• Pi tells the writer two
stories and asks, “In
both stories—ship sinks,
family dies and I survive.
So which story do you
prefer?” “The one with
the tiger. That’s the
better story.” The writer
answers. Pi replies,
“Thank you. And so it
goes with God.”
• Why is it the better
story? Is the answer to
that question based on

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preference, or does it
have something to do
with which story better
accomplishes a
particular goal? If so,
what’s the goal, and how
could a different goal
change the answer to
that question?
• In regards of convincing
someone there is a god,
which story does a better
job and why? o What do
you think Pi meant by
“And so it goes with
God.”?
• What do you think the
true story was? Can
both be true? Do you
think the better story is
always the true story, or
are there other factors to
consider?
• Do you think the author is
making a statement(s)
about god by making this
ending a little
ambiguous? For
example, could he be
implying that belief in god
is useful and beautiful, but
truth is maybe subject to
interpretation? (If so, do
you agree?) Or is he
possibly saying that god is
fantasy, but that we prefer
fantasy because reality is
too horrible to accept?
• How do you think a
person’s interpretation of
the author’s intent would

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vary based on their

interpretation of the
ending?

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