Drowning+Anna+&+Breaking+Point

This month, we are reading __Drowning Anna__ by Sue Mayfield and/or __Breaking Point__ by Alex Flinn. __Drowning Anna__ is about girl-to-girl bullying and Breaking Point is about boy-to-boy bullying.
 * March 2011 Theme: Bullying **

 Here are links to the author's websites: [] []

Sue Mayfield is a British author and __Drowning Anna__ is a story about teens in a British school. She uses several slang terms that may not be familiar to students in the US. Mrs. Horisk developed this reading guide to the main characters and slang terms:

Sioban - (pronounced Sha-bon) lacky friend of Hayley Francis - Anna's mom David - Anna's dad Tom - Anna's brother Melanie - friend of Anna's who would like Hayley's approval and is sometimes the narrator of the story.
 * Names: **

Vol-au-vent (pg 42) a light pastry filled with a savory filling Loo - toilet Sun bed - tanning bed Knickers - undies <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Brill, brilliant - great, fantastic <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Keen - eager, sharp <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Hoovered - vacuumed <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Biscuits - cookies, crackers <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Crisps - potato chips <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Boots - a department store in England <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Sainsbury - a chain of grocery stores in England <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Snogging - kissing <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Rug - blanket
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">British Slang: **

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">**Question**: If you were writing a guide to U.S. teen slang for British teens, what words would you include? Post your suggestions.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Here's a video clip from "Hating Tami", a film about female bullying: []


 * <span style="color: #b52121; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">March 21 Discussion Questions for __Drowning Anna__. **

<span style="color: #b52121; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">1. How does Hayley gain Anna's trust? <span style="color: #b52121; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">2. How does Hayley's treatment of Anna change? <span style="color: #b52121; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">3. Why are Hayley's actions considered bullying? <span style="color: #b52121; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">4. Whole group discussion question: Compare Anna and Paul (the main character in __Breaking Point__.)

<span style="color: #b52121; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">1. What is a breaking point? Have you ever experienced a time when you had a breaking point with someone or something? What was it? <span style="color: #b52121; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">2. How does Charlie Good gain Paul's trust? Are they effective techniques of manipulation? Would they work on you, or anybody you know? <span style="color: #b52121; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">3. At this point in the story (p. 74, end of chapter 10), can Charlie's actions be considered bullying? <span style="color: #b52121; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">4. Whole group discussion question: Compare Paul and Anna (the main character in __Drowning Anna__.)
 * <span style="color: #b52121; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">March 21 Discussion Questions for __Breaking Point__. **

<span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 130%;">1. What would you do if you found yourself in Paul's situation? <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 130%;">2. How can you tell the difference between teenagers just blowing off steam and real threats to be taken seriously? <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 130%;">3. Predict the future for Paul. <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 130%;">4. Predict the future for Charlie.
 * <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 130%;">April Discussion Questions for __Breaking Point__ **