Jacob+Weber

Jacob Weber LAL 6, period 4/5 11/2/10

media type="custom" key="7913473" Toyota Commercial media type="custom" key="8734990" Write how you would feel if you were put in Pegs parents place and if your child had three types of polio.

In the book Small Steps by Peg Kehret, Peg is diagnosed with three types of polio. Being in Pegs parent place would be very scary for them. One of there kids could die any second. It would be very hard to know that your kid has three types of polio and you are not allowed to go and see them. This was probably hard for Peg too. This is like telling your child it might be the last time you will see them, but they did this for a reason. Polio is contagious so they didn't want anyone to be close to her besides the nurses. Even the nurses would where gloves and masks and sterilize them or get rid of them. __ 11/10/10

Why does Peg have a reason to be mad at the nurse for not turning her? Do you think Peg did the right thing by telling her parents about this problem?

In the story Small Steps by Peg Kehret, Peg was diagnosed with polio, paralyzed, and then the nurse would not turn her when she was uncomfortable. Peg should have been mad at the nurse for not turning her. She was sleeping and woke with great pain. First of all, they are probably paying for this, so they should do almost everything that they need. It would probably comfort Peg more too. Hospitals are supposed to take care of you if you are sick, and the nurse didn't even try to help. Also, she could die any day, so the nurses should try to make it the best posible.

Peg did do the right thing telling her parents about the problem with the nurse. Everybody would probably be furious if the nurse could not do one thing to help if you were in Pegs shoes. Once my grandather had polio, and I remember my mom told me there were many rules as to what you can do. So he could not get everything he wanted, just like Peg.

11/23/10

What does the quote mean? How does Peg get her point across by using figurative language? What does this reveal about Pegs character?

A window of understanding opened in my mind, and a breeze of compassion blew in.

This quote means that she now understands why they are listening to the conversation with her parents, and that she is happy for them to finally have company. Peg does care about them. She feels bad for them and tries not to get mad at them. Peg uses figurative language to describe how she felt when she felt when she remembers they get no company. She let them listen in because she felt bad for all of them. This tells us that Peg is very caring, understanding, kind, and nice.

Comprehension Questions Chapters 13-15


 * 1) 6 The docters in the US accepted Sister Kenny before Australia because polio was a bigger problem in the US than in Australia.


 * 1) 9 Peg celebrated not needing a wheel chair by taking it on her last joy ride.


 * 1) 13 Peg couldn't go bare foot because it would make Peg lose her balance. She would fall without the shoes.


 * 1) 18 Peg was challenged to keep playing the accordian when she saw her dad play and he was better than her in week. She also did it to get get better at playing it.


 * 1) 19 Peg's school at the hospital was different because there was only one teacher, it was only two hours thirty minutes, and there was no homework.

Spring 1935 - Autumn 1935
 * Out of the Dust**

The question, in a culture where we are bombarded with other people trying to define us, how do we make decisions for ourselves, means that people are coming and criticizing the decisions that we make that are best for ourselves. When it says bombarded with other people trying to define us it is saying that people are trying to tell us the decisions that are right for us. Then, when it says how do we make decisions for ourselves it is explaining that we shouldn’t worry about what other people think and do what is best for us. The story //__Out Of the Dust__// relates well with this question. Most people preferred to move west to get away from the dust. Billie Jo thought it was the right thing by staying right where she was. People probably thought she was crazy but that didn’t matter because it wasn’t affecting them and it wasn’t their choice. A quote said from Billie Jo “you can’t run away from something that is inside you.” Which means you can’t run away from something that is in your life and a part of you. If Billie Jo did leave she would leave her dad who has skin cancer alone by himself. In our school the rules try to define us. There are certain things at our school that allows and prevents us to wear. We should be able to define ourselves and not worry about getting in trouble. Some of these rules are taking away our individuality and our style. Even though our school is trying to define us with these rules we still can make decisions for ourselves and what we want.
 * 1: Doc Rice tells Billy Jo that she needs to stop picking at her hands and needs to start using her hands.
 * 2: When Billy Jo was invited to play piano at graduation she said no because her hands hurt too bad from the burns.
 * 3: Billy Jo would like to have Mad Dog court her.
 * 4: Billy Jo begins to start calling her dad daddy again and starts to talk to him again on the way back from the train station.
 * 5: Billy Jo feels that Ma would not like it that her dad was in love with Louise.
 * 6: The letter from aunt Ellis was asking if Billy Jo wanted to go live with her back in Texas.
 * 7: Billy Jo was upset that the school caught fire.
 * 8: There was a really bad dust storm when they were on there way to grandma Lucas funeral.