Walk Two Moons, by Sharon Creech, is used in the Emozi® Middle School Grade 6 as a mentor text for the Socratic Seminar. This story has great SEL themes of family, friends, tolerance, generational differences, misunderstandings, love, loss, courage, and cultural identity. It's a fun read with an emotional ending and I must admit that I definitely shed a tear or two.
Overview
Walk Two Moons is a story about a 13-year-old Seneca girl named Salamanca Tree Hiddle. She goes on a cross-country journey with her grandparents to find her missing mother. There are two stories woven together. One about the journey with her grandparents and one about what came before the journey with her father, the new neighborhood they've moved to, her school, and new friends.
Socratic Seminar Questions
Here are some SEL questions to get you started and whet your whistle for the full version.
Chapter 1
- How does Sal feel as she describes her new home?
- Have you ever moved to a new place? How did you feel about that move?
Sal introduces Phoebe Winterbottom as "a girl who had a powerful imagination, who would become my friend, and who would have many peculiar things happen to her."
- Do you remember the first time that you met a best friend?
- What was your impression of this person? Was it accurate, or did you change your mind about them once you got to know them?
Chapter 2
In this chapter, we learn about Sal's grandparents, and we find out that she will be traveling across the country to go to see her mother. We also find out that Sal's name is Salamance Tree Hiddle. She describes how she got such a unique name.
- What is the story of how you received your name?
- How do you feel about your name?
Chapter 3
When we meet Sal's new friends, she describes a conversation she has with Phoebe. Sals says, "What I have since realized is that if people expect you to be brave, sometimes you pretend that you are, even when you are frightened down to your very bones."
- Define 'Bravery', and then describe a time that you were brave.
- How does this example show Sal's self-perception?
Emozi® Middle School Grade 6 SEL lessons
- Unit 2, Lesson 1: Self-Perception
- Unit 2, Lesson 2: Optimism
- Unit 2, Lesson 3: Grief
- Unit 2, Lesson 4: Identity
- Unit 2, Lesson 5: Nonverbal Communication
- Unit 2, Lesson 6: Diversity
- Unit 2, Lesson 7: Perspective Taking
- Unit 2, Lesson 8: Healthy and Unhealthy Relationships
- Unit 2, Lesson 9: Making and Maintaining Friendships
- Unit 2, Lesson 10: Rules
- Unit 2, Lesson 11: Gossiping
- Unit 2, Lesson 12: Jealousy and Envy
For more information about Emozi® Middle School can enhance the teacher-student relationshisp and increase academic achievement, visit our website or request a sample lesson.
