Life Stories

This lesson is designed to build your critical-thinking skills in English as you read, listen, and answer different types of comprehension and discussion questions.

Although these questions are related to classroom instruction, independent learners can reflect on the ideas and topic to prepare for the listening portion of the lesson.

1. Mind Mapping: Have students brainstorm words and ideas related to high school reunions and the emotions that might come up during this kind of event. Encourage them to think about their own experiences or expectations of high school reunions.

2. Vocabulary Building: Introduce students to vocabulary words related to the story, such as “loner,” “bully,” “forgiveness,” “reconciliation,” and “acceptance.” Have them look up the definitions and discuss the meaning of the words.

3. Research: Have students research and bring in news articles or personal stories about high school reunions and then share their findings with the class. Encourage them to discuss the different experiences people have at high school reunions.

4. Predicting the Story: Have students read the title of the story and make predictions about the story. Ask them to think about the setting, characters, and conflicts that might be present in the story.

5. Group Discussion: Have students discuss their own experiences with high school and high school reunions in small groups. Ask them to share their expectations and fears about high school reunions and discuss why people might attend them.

Listen and read the story and answer the questions. Key vocabulary words are marked in bold.

It was the day of the high school reunion, and as the graduates began to arrive, it was clear that not much had changed since they had last seen each other. The popular kids were still popular, the jocks were still jocks, and the nerds were still nerds.

As he entered the room, Tim felt a sudden surge of anxiety. He had been a loner in high school, always too shy to fit in with any of the cliques. He had spent most of his time studying and had never even cut class once.

Tim looked around the room, hoping to spot someone he recognized, but he didn’t see anyone he knew.

Feeling awkward and out of place, he decided to crack a book and try to blend in with the crowd.

As he pulled out his old calculus textbook, he noticed a group of guys huddled together, talking and laughing loudly. They looked like the same guys who used to pick on him in high school.

Tim hesitated, wondering if he should approach them, but before he could make up his mind, one of the guys spotted him and called out, “Hey, it’s Tim! Remember him? The guy who never cut class?”

The others laughed, and Tim felt his face turn red with embarrassment. But then something unexpected happened. One of the guys, who had always been the biggest bully, stepped forward and held out his hand.

“Hey, Tim,” he said. “I just wanna say I’m sorry for how I treated you in high school. I was a jerk back then, but I’ve grown up since then!”

Tim was shocked. Really shocked.

He’d never expected to hear those words from his former tormentor, but he shook the guy’s hand and smiled, feeling a sense of relief and acceptance he’d never experienced before.

As the night wore on, Tim found himself fitting in with the crowd more and more. He laughed and joked with his former classmates, and even joined in a game of pool with the jocks. 

By the end of the night, he realized that high school had been a long time ago, and that people can change.

As he walked out of the reunion hall, Tim felt grateful for the experience. 

He realized that sometimes, the most awkward situations can lead to unexpected moments of connection and forgiveness, and he knew that, no matter what happened in the future, he would always be able to look back on his high school reunion with a smile.

So to conclude, think about this question: Just like in this story, what role do apologies and forgiveness play in building stronger and more meaningful relationships with others?

1. What was Tim’s reputation in high school?
A) Popular
B) Jock
C) Nerd
D) Loner

2. Why was Tim hesitant to approach a group of guys at the reunion?
A) He didn’t recognize them.
B) They were known bullies.
C) He was too shy.
D) They were too popular.

3. What happened when one of the former bullies approached Tim at the reunion?
A) He made fun of Tim.
B) He apologized for his past behavior.
C) He ignored Tim.
D) He invited Tim to play a game of pool.

4. How did Tim feel about the experience at the end of the night?
A) Angry
B) Anxious
C) Grateful
D) Embarrassed

5. What did Tim learn from the high school reunion?
A) People can’t change.
B) Cliques will always exist.
C) Unexpected moments of connection can happen.
D) It’s important to cut class.

1. What was Tim’s reputation in high school?
Answer: D) Loner
Explanation: Tim’s reputation in high school was that of a loner. He did not fit in with the popular crowd and had few friends.

2. Why was Tim hesitant to approach a group of guys at the reunion?
Answer: B) They were known bullies.
Explanation: Tim was hesitant to approach a group of guys at the reunion because they were known bullies who had picked on him in high school. He was afraid they would treat him the same way.

3. What happened when one of the former bullies approached Tim at the reunion?
Answer: B) He apologized for his past behavior.
Explanation: When one of the former bullies approached Tim at the reunion, he apologized for his past behavior and expressed regret for how he had treated Tim in high school.

4. How did Tim feel about the experience at the end of the night?
Answer: C) Grateful
Explanation: At the end of the night, Tim felt grateful for the unexpected moments of connection he had with his former classmates, and for the opportunity to confront his past and make peace with it.

5. What did Tim learn from the high school reunion?
Answer: C) Unexpected moments of connection can happen.
Explanation: Tim learned from the high school reunion that unexpected moments of connection can happen, even with people he may have thought were very different from him in high school. He also learned the importance of forgiveness and second chances.

Easy (Recall and Comprehend):

1. What was Tim’s reputation in high school?
2. Why did Tim feel awkward at the reunion?
3. How did Tim feel at the end of the night?

Intermediate (Analyze and Interpret):

1. Do you think high school reunions are valuable events for people to attend? Why or why not?
2. How might Tim’s experience at the reunion have been different if he had cut class and joined a different social group in high school?

Advanced (Analyze and Interpret):

1. How do our past experiences in school shape our social interactions later in life, and is it possible to overcome them?
2. How can we encourage a culture of forgiveness and reconciliation, even towards those who have hurt us in the past?
3. What role do apologies and forgiveness play in building stronger and more meaningful relationships with others?
4. How do we define and measure success in life, and how much does our high school experience factor into that definition?

Here are five classroom activities that can encourage critical thinking about the story:

1, Reflective writing: Have students write a reflective essay on a time they felt like a loner or an outsider, and how they overcame that feeling. Encourage them to draw from the themes and experiences in the story.

2. Group Discussion: Have students break into small groups and discuss the theme of forgiveness and second chances in the story. Ask them to share their own experiences with forgiveness and second chances, and how these experiences impacted their lives.

3. Character Analysis: Have students analyze the characters in the story, focusing on how their experiences in high school influenced their current lives. Encourage them to discuss how different characters dealt with their pasts, and how those experiences shaped their personalities.

4. Creative Writing: Have students write a short story from the perspective of one of the characters in the story, but set in a different time period or setting. Ask them to think about how the character’s past experiences would influence their actions in this new context.

5. Debate: Have students debate the following question: “Is it better to fit in or be true to oneself?” Encourage them to draw from the themes and experiences in the story, and to think critically about the advantages and disadvantages of each approach

Title: High School Reunion Word Jumble

Objective: To help students review and recall vocabulary words from the story in a fun and engaging way.

Instructions:

1. Create a list of vocabulary words from the story, such as “reunion,” “loner,” “awkward,” “fit in,” and “forgiveness.”
2. Rearrange the letters of each word to create a jumbled version of the word.
3. Write each jumbled word on a separate index card or piece of paper.
4. Divide the class into two teams and give each team a set of jumbled word cards.
5. Each team has a set amount of time to unscramble as many words as they can. They can work together to solve the jumbled words.
6. When time is up, the teams count how many words they unscrambled correctly.
7. The team with the most correct answers wins.