Holt Elements of Literature - 2008 Grade 8

Unit 5
Title: Raymond’s Run
Suggested Time: 5 days (45 minutes per day)
Common Core ELA Standards: RL.8.1, RL.8.2, RL.8.3; W.8.2, W.8.4,
W.8.7, W.8.9; SL.8.1 L.8.1, L.8.2, L.8.5

Teacher Instructions
Preparing for Teaching
1. Read the Big Ideas and Key Understandings and the Synopsis. Please do not read this to the
students. This is a description for teachers about the big ideas and key understanding that
students should take away after completing this task.
Big Ideas and Key Understandings
As we come to respect someone, our opinion of them can change drastically and even
surprise us.
Synopsis
The story “Raymond’s Run” is told through the eyes of Hazel ‘Squeaky” Parker, who is
the fastest runner in her Harlem neighborhood. She spends the majority of her time
practicing for upcoming races and taking care of her brother, Raymond, who is mentally
challenged and to whom she is very devoted. It is Squeaky’s responsibility to watch over
and care for her brother. Squeaky is extremely outspoken and competitive and has
difficulty forming relationships with other girls her age probably due to her
responsibility of taking care of her brother. She encounters a group of girls while out
with her brother and Squeaky expects the girls (from past experience) to be cruel to
Raymond. The conflict is also about one of the girls, the new girl Gretchen, competing
against Squeaky in the upcoming May Day race. Squeaky is confrontational and the
other girls leave. On the days of the race, Squeaky observes how well Raymond keeps
up with her running and that Gretchen also has the habits of a very good athlete. This
 Holt Elements of Literature - 2008 Grade 8

changes Squeaky’s opinion of the new girl Gretchen. Squeaky considers herself a
serious athlete and Gretchen has earned Squeaky’s respect as a runner. When Squeaky
(after the race) sees Gretchen “breathing in steady time like a real pro”, she states, “and
I kinda like her a little for the first time”. She also comes to the conclusion that
Raymond “would make a very fine runner” and realizes that her brother may have
something to “call his own” if she coaches him.
2. Read the entire selection, keeping in mind the Big Ideas and Key Understandings.
3. Re-read the text while noting the stopping points for the Text Dependent Questions and
teaching Tier II/academic vocabulary.
During Teaching
1. Students read the entire selection independently.
2. Teacher reads the text aloud while students follow along or students take turns reading
aloud to each other. Depending on the text length and student need, the teacher may
choose to read the full text or a passage aloud. For a particularly complex text, the teacher
may choose to reverse the order of steps 1 and 2.
3. Students and teacher re-read the text while stopping to respond to and discuss the
questions, continually returning to the text. A variety of methods can be used to structure
the reading and discussion (i.e., whole class discussion, think-pair-share, independent
written response, group work, etc.)

Text Dependent Questions

Text Dependent Questions Answers

At the beginning of the story, page 547, what
does the narrator reveal about her family and
her own responsibility in the family? How
does she feel about this responsibility? Cite
evidence to support your answer.
The narrator reveals that she lives with her
mom and dad and two brothers. Her main
responsibility is taking care of her brother
Raymond. She also says she doesn’t have to
do chores around the house or earn her own
pocket money because those things are not
 Holt Elements of Literature - 2008
What does the narrator Squeaky value as her
two greatest traits on page 547? Cite
evidence to support your answer.
Who challenges Squeaky in the first paragraph
on page 548? How does Squeaky respond?
What can we learn about the narrator’s
character after reading the second paragraph
on page 548?
Reread the last paragraph on page 549
through the second paragraph on page 551.
Describe the conflict Squeaky faces and how
she manages it.
Grade 8
her job. She is devoted to her brother and
does not allow anyone to make fun of him,
although she does see this as a big
responsibility. That is evident as she says, “…
All I have to do in life is mind my brother
Raymond, which is enough.”
Squeaky prides herself on protecting her
brother Raymond from other people and
being assertive. For example, she said, “if
anybody has anything to say to Raymond,
anything to say about his big head, they have
to come by me.” She also prides herself on
being a very fast runner when she said, “There
is no track meet that I don’t win the first place
medal” and “I’m subject to run the quarter-
meter relay all by myself and come in first,
second, and third” “And as anybody can tell
you, I’m the fastest thing on two feet.”
Gretchen challenges Squeaky by “putting out
on the tale that she is going to win the first
place medal this year.” Squeaky says that the
idea of Gretchen winning is “Ridiculous,” and
“she’s got short legs” and “she’s got freckles.”
These are not valid reasons why Gretchen
would lose the race.
She is very pragmatic about her brother and
his behavior. We also learn that Squeaky is
loyal and devoted to her brother and has the
integrity to take care of him even when he
does dangerous or impulsive things that upset
other people. She also may be punished by
her parents if Raymond misbehaves, but does
not relate any resentment of him. We also
learn that Squeaky is serious about her sport,
running, and doesn’t mind how it looks when
she is exercising. Squeaky works hard to be
the best runner and can be identified as a
serious athlete. She is very dedicated to her
sport.
Squeaky sees the group of girls (Gretchen and
her sidekicks) she dislikes coming toward her
and her brother on the street. She anticipates
trouble in that the girls will tease Raymond.
She first thinks about going into the candy
 Holt Elements of Literature - 2008
Squeaky doesn’t think that girls can really be
true friends. Cite proof of this.
On page 550, what piece of dialogue best
demonstrates how protective Squeaky is of
Raymond?
How does Squeaky’s perspective of the May
Pole dancing differ from her mother’s point of
view? Give proof from the text on page 551 to
support your answer.
On page 552, a conflict occurs between Mr.
Pearson and Squeaky. Explain what the
conflict was about and how it is resolved.
What does this tell us about Squeaky’s
character?
Use specific story details.
On pg. 553, Squeaky notices what others are
Grade 8
store to “just let them pass”, but then she
decides “that’s chicken and I’ve got a
reputation to consider.” She decides that she
will face them and stand up for herself. The
girls first try and provoke Squeaky about the
upcoming May Day race and then through her
brother “And they’re about to see what
trouble they can get into through him”.
Squeaky stands up for herself and her brother.
“I always win cause I’m the best.” and “you
got anything to say to my brother, you say it
to me.”
“… I’m thinking that girls never really smile at
each other because they don’t know how and
don’t want to know how and there’s probably
no one to teach us how, cause grown up girls
don’t know either.”
“And they’re about to see what trouble they
can get into through him” or “You got
anything to say to my brother, you say it to
me…..”
“The biggest thing on the program is the May
Pole dancing, which I can do without, thank
you, even if my mother thinks it’s a shame I
don’t take part and act like a girl for a
change.” Squeaky thinks it’s fake and stupid,
but her mother feels disappointed that
Squeaky doesn’t want to participate and act
like all the other girls.
Mr. Pearson gives Squeaky her number for
the race, and he asks if she is”…going to give
someone else a break this year?” Squeaky gets
upset because he wants her to lose the race
on purpose. He says, “Wouldn’t it be a nice
gesture if you were….to ahhh…..” Squeaky
”gives him such a look he couldn’t finish
putting that idea into words. Grownups got a
lot of nerve sometimes.” Squeaky is serious
about running and she is a no nonsense
person. She stands up for herself and what
she believes. She is also honest about and
dedicated to winning.
“…then I see Gretchen standing at the starting
 Holt Elements of Literature - 2008
doing just before the race starts. How do their
actions affect her?
What does Squeaky notice about Raymond
during the race? How does she react? (page
553)
Throughout the story, Squeaky has been
focused on winning the race. But after the
race is over, her focus changes. On page 554,
what new plans does she make? How have her
feelings changed? Explain using text from the
story to support your answer.
How does Squeaky’s opinion of Gretchen
change after the race? Why does her opinion
change? How does the new respect between
Squeaky and Gretchen affect her opinion of
relationships between girls? Support your
answer with details and quotes from the text.
Grade 8
line, kicking her legs out like a pro”. When
Squeaky qualifies Gretchen’s actions as “like a
pro” we can infer that Squeaky is beginning to
respect Gretchen and consider Gretchen a
true competitor. And “ole Raymond is on line
on the other side of the fence, bending down
with his fingers on the ground just like he
knew what he was doing.” She doesn’t
consider Raymond’s actions as serious and
thinks about yelling at him but doesn’t want
to use up her energy.
She seems him as she is running the race;
“And on the other side of the fence is
Raymond with his arms down to his side and
the palms tucked up behind him, running in
his very own style, and it’s the first time I ever
saw that and I almost stop to watch my
brother Raymond on his first run.”
After the race, Squeaky really isn’t concerned
about whether she won. She is excited about
new possibilities involving helping Raymond
become a runner. “And I’m smiling to beat
the band cause if I’ve lost this race, or if me
and Gretchen tied, or even if I’ve won…..”
Squeaky says “I can always retire as a runner
and begin a whole new career as a coach with
Raymond as my champion.” To further show
her devotion to her brother, she shows
concern for his success by saying, “And I’ve
got a roomful of ribbons and medals and
awards. But what has Raymond got to call his
own?”
Squeaky now has respect for Gretchen since
Gretchen showed that she was a serious
runner too. Gretchen ran nearly as fast a
Squeaky and proved that she wasn’t just
talking. “And she nods to congratulate me
and then she smiles “And I smile. Cause she’s
good, no doubt about it” “We stand there
with this big smile of respect between us.”
Squeaky thinks their smiles are more genuine
because they are not pretending to be
something or someone they are really not.
“It’s about as real a smile as girls can do for
Holt Elements of Literature - 2008 Grade 8

each other, considering we don’t practice real

smiling every day, you know, cause maybe we
too busy being flowers or fairies or
strawberries instead of something honest and
worthy of respect….you know….like people.”
 Holt Elements of Literature - 2008 Grade 8

Tier II Academic Vocabulary

These words require less time to learn
(They are concrete or describe an object/event/
process/characteristic that is familiar to students)
These words require more time to learn
(They are abstract, have multiple meanings, are a
part
of a word family, or are likely to appear again in
future texts)

Pg. 547—hustling, earn, errands, slip Pg. 547—mind, subject

Pg. 548—swiftest, stagecoach, corner, stroll, Pg. 548—island
Meaning can be learned from context

fluttering Pg. 549---spring

Pg. 549—sidekicks, ole, trot, upright, clutch, Pg. 550---reputation, account
stool, scales, smart Pg. 551—corsages, pageant
Pg. 550 – steady, feature Pg. 553---chugging, solid, tear
Pg. 551---sash, prancing, shifts, strolling, Page 554 - mastered
program, nursery, rowdy, swirling
Pg. 552 – nerve, stomp, burnt, smack
Pg. 553---jutting, style, crouch, pumping,
overshot
Page 554 – bugged, tradition, obviously

Pg. 548—“fits of fantasy” Pg. 549—prodigy, liable

Meaning needs to be provided

Pg. 550---signify, salty Pg. 552---gesture

Pg. 552—psyching, stilts, “concrete jungle”
Pg. 553 - static

Culminating Task
 Prompt
Think about the following statement: “What we see in ourselves can help us learn to
respect others.” Does Squeaky's view of her own determination and drive help her to
learn to appreciate those values in others? Write a well-developed essay explaining
how Squeaky's revelation about the talents of the other individuals in the story help to
 Holt Elements of Literature - 2008 Grade 8

mold her opinion and form a mutual respect for her brother, Raymond and her new
found friend, Gretchen. Be sure to cite evidence from the story to support your answer.
 Teacher Instructions
1. Students identify their writing task from the prompt provided.
2. Students complete an evidence chart as a pre-writing activity. Teachers should guide
students in gathering and using any relevant notes they compiled while reading and
answering the text-dependent questions earlier. Some students will need a good
deal of help gathering this evidence, especially when this process is new and/or the
text is challenging!

Evidence Page Elaboration / explanation of how this

Quote or paraphrase
“But as any fool can see he’s much bigger
and he’s older too. But a lot of people call
him my little brother cause he needs
looking after cause he’s not quite right.”
“She’s got short legs. In the third place,
she’s got freckles. In the first place, no
one can beat me and that’s all there is
to it,”
“He’s subject to fits of fantasy and
starts thinking he’s a circus performer
and that the curb is a tightrope strung
high in the air. And sometimes after a
rain he likes to step down off his
tightrope right into the gutter and slosh
around getting his shoes and cuffs
wet.”
“I always win cause I’m the best,” I say
straight at Gretchen who is, as far as
I’m concerned, the only one talking in
number evidence supports ideas or argument
Squeaky states this argument to
547 describe how she and others see
Raymond. This is important to the story
to show how Squeaky’s view of her
brother evolves over the course of the
story.
Squeaky’s fallacious reasons as to why
548 Gretchen cannot beat her in a race are
important as they help to establish that
Squeaky realizes at the end of the story
that Gretchen is as serious about
running as she is. The fact that she has
short legs and freckles are irrelevant.
These statements help to show the
evolution of Squeaky’s impression of
others.
548 Again, this example is important to the
story because it shows that Squeaky is
unable to see past Raymond’s actions in
his ‘simple’ life to take him seriously. At
the beginning of the story she sees him
as a burden, someone she can get into
trouble for his actions or someone that
she has to apologize for.
550 This shows Squeaky’s narrowed point of
view toward others in the beginning of
the story. It helps to establish her
 Holt Elements of Literature - 2008 Grade 8

this ventrilo-quist-dummy routine. growth over the course of the events.

Gretchen smiles, but it’s not a smile,
and I’m thinking that girls never really
smile at each other.”
“I am Miss Quicksliver herself.”
“And it occurs to me, watching how
smoothly he climbs hand over hand
and remembering how he looked
running with his arms down to his side
and with the wind pulling his mouth
back and his teeth showing and all, it
occurred to me that Raymond would
make a very fine runner. “
“Maybe she’d like to help me coach
Raymond; she obviously is serious
about running, as any fool can see. And
she nods to congratulate me and then
she smiles. And I smile. We stand there
with this big smile of respect between
us. It’s about as real a smile as girls can
do for each other.”
551 This is how Squeaky sees herself. She is
unable to see that others around her
may have the same talent and
determination that she does. It is
important to the story as it helps to
establish her point of view.
554 Suddenly Squeaky sees her brother as a
person with real talent. This shows
Squeaky’s final evolution in gaining
respect for her brother as an individual
and not some ‘tag along’ that she must
look after.
554 This shows the final evolution in
Squeaky’s world/life lessons. She
realizes that Gretchen is serious about
running and that maybe she can be very
genuine when given the chance. She
considers asking Gretchen to help her
coach her brother Raymond.

3. Once students have completed the evidence chart, they should look back at the
writing prompt in order to remind themselves what kind of response they are
writing (i.e. expository, analytical, argumentative) and think about the evidence they
found. (Depending on the grade level, teachers may want to review students’
evidence charts in some way to ensure accuracy.) From here, students should
develop a specific thesis statement. This could be done independently, with a
partner, small group, or the entire class. Consider directing students to the following
sites to learn more about thesis statements:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/545/01/ OR
http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/ thesis_statement.shtml.
 Holt Elements of Literature - 2008 Grade 8

4. Students compose a rough draft. With regard to grade level and student ability,
teachers should decide how much scaffolding they will provide during this process
(i.e. modeling, showing example pieces, sharing work as students go).
5. Students complete final draft.
 Sample Answer
In the story “Raymond’s Run”, Squeaky is a young girl who is in the process of
refining her values and personality. She is a determined young girl with a goal in mind, and she
will stop at nothing to achieve that goal--to be a great athlete and to ultimately beat Gretchen
and win the upcoming race. Although Squeaky is very self-centered throughout the story, she
learns to appreciate value in others as the story comes to an end.
In the beginning of the story, Squeaky establishes that she is an athlete by calling herself
‘‘Miss Quicksilver,” a person who cannot be beaten. As Squeaky is describing herself, and her
ability to be focused and determined in practice, she also begins describing the shortcomings in
the people around her. In describing Raymond, she says, “But as any fool can see he’s much
bigger and he’s older too. But a lot of people call him my little brother cause he needs looking
after cause he’s not quite right.” When Squeaky describes Gretchen, she says, “She’s got short
legs. In the third place, she’s got freckles. In the first place, no one can beat me and that’s all
there is to it,” after again reiterating the fact that Squeaky is the fastest runner and anyone who
thinks otherwise is ridiculous. She is negatively describing people that seem to have an effect
on her life so that she can separate herself from them.
Clearly, Squeaky is confident young lady. Her respect for Raymond grows throughout
the story as events take place that force Squeaky to look beyond herself and at what attributes
those people around her have that are positive. Raymond is described in the beginning of the
short story as a nuisance to Squeaky. She says that, “He’s subject to fits of fantasy and starts
thinking he’s a circus performer and that the curb is a tightrope strung high in the air. And
sometimes after a rain he likes to step down off his tightrope right into the gutter and slosh
around getting his shoes and cuffs wet.” This is an action that gets Squeaky in trouble. She also
has to make apologies for him when he scares pigeons away and disrupts people who are
disturbed by the birds. However, at the end of the story, while Squeaky is running she is able to
 Holt Elements of Literature - 2008 Grade 8

put aside self-centered concerns while she sees that Raymond has talent as a runner, too. As
Squeaky finishes the race, she thinks, “And it occurs to me, watching how smoothly he climbs
hand over hand and remembering how he looked running with his arms down to his side and
with the wind pulling his mouth back and his teeth showing and all, it occurred to me that
Raymond would make a very fine runner. “ She remembers all of the positive things about
Raymond’s ability to run, and starts to entertain the idea of coaching him, thus his value and
her respect for him sky rockets.
Squeaky automatically thinks ill of Gretchen, who is new to the neighborhood, because
she is competition when it comes to running. However, Squeaky has other reasons not to like
Gretchen. Gretchen has befriended old friends of Squeaky, but those old friends have now
become Squeaky’s enemies. When faced with confrontation from Rosie, Mary Louise, and
Gretchen about the upcoming race, Squeaky speaks directly to Gretchen, not the other girls,
saying, “I always win cause I’m the best,” I say straight at Gretchen who is, as far as I’m
concerned, the only one talking in this ventrilo-quist-dummy routine. Gretchen smiles, but it’s
not a smile, and I’m thinking that girls never really smile at each other.” Squeaky gives Gretchen
all of the negative credit in this exchange, although Gretchen never spoke negatively to
Squeaky. However, when the race day comes around, Squeaky begins to see Gretchen in a new
light. When Squeaky decides that she wants to coach Raymond, she looks over and sees the
value that Gretchen can offer in this endeavor, as well as she looks at Gretchen with respect.
Squeaky thinks, “Maybe she’d like to help me coach Raymond; she obviously is serious about
running, as any fool can see. And she nods to congratulate me and then she smiles. And I smile.
We stand there with this big smile of respect between us. It’s about as real a smile as girls can
do for each other.” At that moment, Squeaky can see her drive mirrored in Gretchen.
In the story “Raymond’s Run”, Squeaky is a young girl who is in the process of
refining her values and personality, and she does this by evaluating the people around her in
relation to herself. Squeaky paints herself as a confident young lady who focuses on the
negative aspects of those around her in order to separate herself from those who might not
understand or be on board with her personal goals. Squeaky is forced, in this story, to look
beyond herself and see what Raymond and Gretchen have to offer, and to see that her personal
 Holt Elements of Literature - 2008 Grade 8

goals do not have to separate her from others. She decides that Raymond is actually a great
runner who can be trained. At the end of the race, she also decides to respect and value
Gretchen, because Gretchen has earned her respect as a fellow athlete and can assist with her
new goal, which is to help Raymond become a runner. Although Squeaky can be viewed as self-
centered in the story, she learns to appreciate value in others as the story comes to an end.

Additional Tasks1
 Based on the events in this story, have students justify why the story is titled “Raymond’s
Run” and use specific details from the text to support their response.
o Possible answer: This story is more about Raymond’s first run because it is the first
time Squeaky notices Raymond’s ability. She said “And it occurs to me, watching
how smoothly he climbs hand over hand and remembering how he looked running
with his arms down to his side and with the wind pulling his mouth back and his
teeth showing and all, it occurred to me that Raymond would make a very fine
runner.” On pg. 554, Squeaky also says “And I’ve got a roomful of ribbons and
medals and awards. But what has Raymond got to call his own?” Squeaky realizes
Raymond’s potential and her ability to find joy in his success rather than her own.
 Have students research the history behind Harlem along with the movement that came out
of this area known as the “Harlem Renaissance.” Students will then create an illustrated
timeline (or a multi-media timeline) of Harlem’s history.
 Assign groups of students to identify the allusions within the story. Students should reflect
on how the allusion is significant to the story’s plot and how they develop the voice of the
character(s) in the story. Have students create contemporary allusions, which would create
the same meaning to the plot of the story but would be more recognizable to peers.
 Have students create a two-column conflict chart to keep track of the various external and
internal conflicts that Squeaky faces during the course of “Raymond’s Run”.

1
See below for sample answers.
 Holt Elements of Literature - 2008 Grade 8

 Have you ever been to a different state? Do they say things differently than people do in
Louisiana? Have the students make a list of words or phrases that are said differently. (Loo
vs. bathroom, soda vs. pop, you guys vs. y’all) In the story “Raymond’s Run,” there are a lot
of examples of regional dialect or “slang.” Please make a T-chart. On the right side, list ten
examples of things that Squeaky says in the story that are considered dialect. On the left
side, translate those bits of dialect into today’s equivalent. Then, in a small group, re-read
the story, but insert your new dialect in place of the old.
 In this story, there are many examples of fallacious reasoning, which you can find examples
of on page 533. Cite textual examples from this story where fallacious reasoning is used,
and justify your answer. Then, with a partner, beside the examples you have written, write
ways to make the reasoning sound by adding or taking away from what has been said.

Name __________________________________________ Date

_________________

“Raymond’s Run”

1. At the beginning of the story, page 547, what does the narrator reveal
about her family and her own responsibility in the family? How does
she feel about this responsibility? Cite evidence to support your
answer.

2. What does the narrator Squeaky value as her two greatest traits? Cite
evidence to support your answer.
 Holt Elements of Literature - 2008 Grade 8

3. Who challenges Squeaky in the first paragraph on page 548? How does
Squeaky respond?

4. What can we learn about the narrator’s character after reading the
second paragraph on page 548?

5. Reread the last paragraph on page 549 through the second paragraph
on page 551. Describe the conflict Squeaky faces and how she manages
it.

6. Squeaky doesn’t think that girls can really be true friends. Cite proof of
this.
 Holt Elements of Literature - 2008 Grade 8

7. On page 550, what piece of dialogue best demonstrates how protective

Squeaky is of Raymond?

8. How does Squeaky’s perspective of the May Pole dancing differ from
her mother’s point of view? Give proof from the text on page 551 to
support your answer.

9. On page 552, a conflict occurs between Mr. Pearson and Squeaky.

Explain what the conflict was about and how it is resolved. What does
this tell us about Squeaky’s character? Use specific story details.

10. On pg. 553, Squeaky notices what others are doing just before the race
starts. How do their actions affect her?

11. What does Squeaky notice about Raymond during the race? How does
she react? (page 553)
 Holt Elements of Literature - 2008 Grade 8

12. Throughout the story, Squeaky has been focused on winning the race.
But after the race is over, her focus changes. On page 554, what new
plans does she make? How have her feelings changed? Explain using
text from the story to support your answer.

13. How does Squeaky’s opinion of Gretchen change after the race? Why
does her opinion change? How does the new respect between Squeaky
and Gretchen affect her opinion of relationships between girls? Support
your answer with details and quotes from the text.
 Holt Elements of Literature - 2008 Grade 8

“Raymond’s Run” by

Toni Cade Bambara

Allusions Activity

Page # Allusion Significance Change

 Holt Elements of Literature - 2008 Grade 8

“Raymond’s Run” by

Toni Cade Bambara

Allusions Activity

Page # Allusion Significance Change

548 Mercury – the messenger of To show how fast a runner Carl Lewis
the gods Squeaky is
Florence Griffith-Joyner

Adrean Peterson

Reggie Bush

Michael Vick

550 Dodge City Scenes – a To show that Squeaky’s Twilight Series (Edward
location in which many willing to fight or face off vs. Jacob)
lawmen and outlaws face off with anyone who crosses
The Alamo
with pistols her
The Lone Ranger

551 Miss Quicksilver – another Once again to show or Wonder Woman

name for mercury (the emphasize how speedy
liquid) – a sliver-colored Squeaky is Superman
liquid metal that flows Dash from The Incredibles
rapidly

552 Jack and the Beanstalk To emphasize the tallness Ichabod Crane
and thinness of Mr. Pearson
Olive Oil

Jack Sprat

A Stick Person
 Holt Elements of Literature - 2008 Grade 8

“Raymond’s Run” by
Toni Cade Bambara
Fallacious Reasoning Activity
Types of Fallacious Reasoning –

 Hasty Generalization – conclusions drawn from weak or insufficient

evidence
 False Cause and Effect – assuming that event A caused event B simply
because A came first
 Either/or fallacy – the assumption that a problem or situation has only one
possible cause or resolution when there may be several
 Stereotyping – believing that all members of a group share a certain
characteristic
 Name-calling – attacking the person who’s making the argument rather
than the argument itself
Page # Fallacious Reason Classification Revised Reason
Holt Elements of Literature - 2008 Grade 8
 Holt Elements of Literature - 2008 Grade 8

“Raymond’s Run” by
Toni Cade Bambara
Fallacious Reasoning Activity
**See teacher’s note in the lesson template**
Types of Fallacious Reasoning –

Hasty Generalization – conclusions drawn from weak or insufficient

evidence
 False Cause and Effect – assuming that event A caused event B simply
because A came first
 Either/or fallacy – the assumption that a problem or situation has only one
possible cause or resolution when there may be several
 Stereotyping – believing that all members of a group share a certain
characteristic
 Name-calling – attacking the person who’s making the argument rather
than the argument itself
Page # Fallacious Reason Classification Revised Reason

548 Gretchen can’t win the race Stereotyping Gretchen can’t win the race
because “she’s got short legs” because my legs are longer
and therefore one of my
strides equals two of hers

548 Gretchen can’t win the race False Cause/Effect Omit completely – having
because “she’s got freckles” freckles has nothing to do
with a person’s speed

548 Gretchen can’t win the race
because ‘no one can beat me and
that’s all there is to it”
Hasty No one has been able to
Generalization beat me in a race so far, so
that means that Gretchen
has almost no chance to
win

550 “Girls never really smile at each Either/or Fallacy Most girls don’t know how
other because they don’t know to be genuine to one
how” another because we all
have insecurities, therefore
we seldom really smile at
each other

552 “The twenty-yard dash takes all of Stereotyping Because most little kids
two minutes cause most of the have never run a race
little kids don’t know no better before, they don’t know
 Holt Elements of Literature - 2008 Grade 8

than to run off the track or run the what to do or where to

wrong way or run smack into the run. This result is the race
fence and fall down and cry” ending quickly.

“Raymond’s Run” by
Toni Cade Bambara
Similes and Metaphors – a Quiz
Identify each figure of speech from the story as a metaphor or as a simile. Then
explain the comparison each figure of speech is based on.

1. Squeaky remarks, “ I don’t play the dozens.” (pg. 547)

2. Squeaky prances down the street like a rodeo pony. (pg. 548)

3. Squeaky states, “ the big kids call me Mercury”. (pg. 548)

4. Cynthia Procter clutches the lace on her blouse like it was a narrow escape.
(pg. 549)

5. Squeaky gets angry when people ask Raymond where he got that great big
pumpkin head. (pg. 549)
 Holt Elements of Literature - 2008 Grade 8

6. Squeaky thinks it’s chicken to hide from the girls. (pg. 550)

7. Squeaky sees the girls heading up Broadway and thinks “it’s going to be
one of those Dodge City Scenes”. (pg. 550)

8. Now [Mary Louise] hangs out with the new girl Gretchen and talks about
me like a dog. (pg. 550)

9. Squeaky says “So it’s no use wasting my breath talking to shadows”. (pg.
550)

10. Squeaky states, “II am not a strawberry”. (pg. 551)

11. I am Miss Quicksliver herself. (pg. 551)

12. And trying to act like a fairy or a flower or whatever you’re supposed to be
when you should be trying to be yourself. (pg. 551)
 Holt Elements of Literature - 2008 Grade 8

13. Squeaky says that Mr. Pearson looks around the park like a periscope in a
submarine movie. (pg. 552)

14. He sticks out in a crowd because he’s on stilts. We used to call him Jack
and the Beanstalk. (pg. 552)

15. Even the grass in the city feels as hard as a sidewalk. (pg. 552)

16. There’s just no pretending you are anywhere but in a concrete jungle. (pg.
552)

17. Until I’m flying over the beach again, getting blown through the sky like a
feather that weighs nothing at all. (pg. 553)

18. He keeps rattling the fence like a gorilla in a cage. (pg. 554)

19. But then like a dancer or something, he starts climbing up. (pg. 554)
 Holt Elements of Literature - 2008 Grade 8

20. Cause maybe we too busy being flowers or fairies or strawberries instead
of something honest and worthy of respect. (pg. 554)
 Holt Elements of Literature - 2008 Grade 8

“Raymond’s Run” by
Toni Cade Bambara
Similes and Metaphors – a Quiz
Identify each figure of speech from the story as a metaphor or as a simile. Then
explain the comparison each figure of speech is based on.

1. Squeaky remarks I don’t play be the dozens. (pg. 547)

Metaphor – Squeaky compares outright fighting to those people who trade
insults

2. Squeaky prances down the street like a rodeo pony. (pg. 548)
Simile – Squeaky compares her stride for running to that of a rodeo pony

3. Squeaky states the big kids call me Mercury. (pg. 548)

Metaphor – Squeaky compares her speed to that of the Roman God
mercury

4. Cynthia Procter clutches the lace on her blouse like it was a narrow escape.
(pg. 549)
Simile – comparing the simple task of correctly spelling a word in a contest
to a harrowing escape from something dangerous

5. Squeaky gets angry when people ask Raymond where he got that great big
pumpkin head. (pg. 549)
Metaphor – comparing the size of Raymond’s head to a pumpkin

6. Squeaky thinks its chicken to hide from the girls. (pg. 550)
Metaphor – Squeaky thinks hiding in a candy store would be like being a
cowardly chicken

7. Squeaky says that the girls heading up Broadway is about to turn into one
of those Dodge City Scenes. (pg. 550)
Metaphor - Squeaky is comparing her standoff in the street to the
dangerous standoffs that occurred in Dodge City in the Old West

8. Now [Mary Louise] hangs out with the new girl Gretchen and talks about
me like a dog. (pg. 550)
Simile – indicated that Mary Louise treats Squeaky no better than and old
dog

9. So no use wasting my breath talking to shadows. (pg. 550)

Metaphor – Here Squeaky compares the girls to a shadow indicating that
she doesn’t think they really are solid or worth answering
 Holt Elements of Literature - 2008 Grade 8

10. Squeaky states I am not a strawberry. (pg. 551)

Metaphor – Squeaky compares her toughness to the delicateness of a
strawberry; showing they are nothing alike

11. I am Miss Quicksliver herself. (pg. 551)

Metaphor – Squeaky compares herself to the liquid; mercury…a fast
moving liquid metal

12. And trying to act like a fairy or a flower or whatever you’re supposed to be
when you should be trying to be yourself. (pg. 551)
Simile – Comparing the girls who are sporty and athletic to flowers or
fairies

13. Squeaky says that Mr. Pearson looks around the park like a periscope in a
submarine movie. (pg. 552)
Simile – Comparing Mr. Pearson’s head to that of a periscope looking
around from under the sea

14. He sticks out in a crowd because he’s on stilts. We used to call him Jack
and the Beanstalk. (pg. 552)
Metaphor – Comparing Mr. Pearson’s physical appearance to a tall skinny
beanstalk.

15. Even the grass in the city feels as hard as a sidewalk. (pg. 552)
Simile – comparing the hard grass to a concrete sidewalk

16. There’s just no pretending you are anywhere but in a concrete jungle. (pg.
552)
Metaphor – comparing the city park to a concrete jungle…hot, crowded,
and uncomfortable

17. Until I’m flying over the beach again, getting blown through the sky like a
feather that weighs nothing at all. (pg. 553)
Simile – comparing Squeaky’s weightless feeling to that of a light feather

18. He keeps rattling the fence like a gorilla in a cage. (pg. 554)
Simile – comparing Raymond’s actions at the fence to a gorilla in a cage at
a zoo

19. But then like a dancer or something, he starts climbing up. (pg. 554)
Simile – comparing Raymond’s nimble actions of climbing the fence to a
graceful dancer

20. Cause maybe we too busy being flowers or fairies or strawberries instead
of something honest and worthy of respect. (pg. 554)
Metaphors – comparing the actions of the girl athletes to the delicate
flowers, fairies, or strawberries.
 Holt Elements of Literature - 2008 Grade 8

Supports for English Language Learners (ELLs) to

use with Anthology Alignment Lessons
When teaching any lesson, it is important to make sure you are including supports
to help all students. We have prepared some examples of different types of
supports that you can use in conjunction with our Anthology Alignment Lessons to
ensure ELLs can engage fully with the lesson. While these supports reflect
research in how to support ELLs, these activities can help ALL students engage
more deeply with these lessons. Note that some strategies should be used at
multiple points within a lesson; we’ll point these out. It is also important to
understand that these scaffolds represent options for teachers to select based on
students’ needs; it is not the intention that teachers should do all of these things at
every lesson.

Before reading:
 Read passages, watch videos, view photographs, discuss topics (e.g., using
the four corners strategy), or research topics that help provide context for
what your students will be reading. This is especially true if the setting
(e.g., 18th Century England) or topic (e.g., boats) is one that is unfamiliar to
the students.

 Provide explicit instruction, using multiple modalities, on selected

vocabulary words that are central to understanding the text. When looking
at the lesson plan, you should note the Tier 2 words, particularly those
words with high conceptual complexity (i.e., they are difficult to visualize,
learn from context clues, and are abstract), and consider introducing them
ahead of reading. For more information on selecting such words, go here.
You should plan to continue to reinforce these words, and additional
vocabulary, in the context of reading and working with the text. (See
additional activities in the During Reading and After Reading sections.)

Examples of Activities:
o Provide students with the definition of the words and then have
students work together to create Frayer models or other kinds of
word maps for the words.
o When a word contains a prefix or suffix that has been introduced
before, highlight how the word part can be used to help determine
word meaning.
o Keep a word wall or word bank where these new words can be
added and that students can access later.
o Have students create visual glossaries for whenever they
encounter new words. Then have your students add these words
 Holt Elements of Literature - 2008 Grade 8

to their visual glossaries.

o Create pictures using the word. These can even be added to your
word wall!
o Create lists of synonyms and antonyms for the word.
o Have students practice using the words in conversation. For
newcomers, consider providing them with sentence frames to
ensure they can participate in the conversation.

 Use graphic organizers to help introduce content.

Examples of Activities:
o Complete a Know, Want to Learn, Learned (KWL) graphic organizer
about the text.
o Have students research the setting or topic and fill in a chart about
it. You could even have students work in groups where each group
is assigned part of the topic.
o Fill in a bubble map where they write down anything that they find
interesting about the topic while watching a video or reading a
passage about the topic. Then students can discuss why they
picked the information.

During reading:
 Allow ELLs to collaborate in their home languages to process content
before participating in whole class discussions in English. Consider giving
them the discussion questions to look over in advance (perhaps during the
first read) and having them work with a partner to prepare.

 Allow ELLs to use English language that is still under development.

Students should not be scored lower because of incorrect spelling or
grammar (unless the goal of the assignment is to assess spelling or
grammar skills specifically). When grading, be sure to focus on scoring your
students only for that objective.

 Scaffold questions for discussions so that questioning sequences include a

mix of factual and inferential questions and a mix of shorter and more
extended responses. Questions should build on each other and toward
inferential and higher order thinking questions. There are not many
factual questions already listed in the lesson instructions, so you will need
to build some in as you see fit. More information on this strategy can be
found here.
 Holt Elements of Literature - 2008 Grade 8

 Provide explicit instruction, using multiple modalities, on selected

vocabulary words (e.g., 5–8 for a given text) that are central to
understanding the text. During reading, you should continue to draw
attention to and discuss the words that you taught before the reading.

Examples of Activities:
o Have students include the example from the text in a student-
created glossary.
o Create pictures that represent how the word was used in the
passage.
o Create sentences using the word in the way it was used in the
passage.
o Have students discuss the author’s word choice.
o Examine important sentences in the text that contribute to the
overall meaning of the text.

 Examine sentence structure of a particular sentence. Break down the

sentence to determine its meaning. Then determine how this sentence
contributes to the overall meaning of the passage. Determine if there is
any figurative language in the sentence and have students use context
clues to determine the meaning of the figurative language.

 Use graphic organizers to help organize content and thinking.

Examples of Activities:
o While reading the text, have students fill in a story map to help
summarize what has happened.
o Have students fill in an evidence chart while they read to use with
the culminating writing activity. Make sure to model with the
students how to fill in the evidence chart by filling in the first
couple of rows together as a class. Go over the prompt that the
evidence should support, making sure to break down what the
prompt means before having the students get to work. If some of
your students frequently struggle to understand directions, have
the students explain the directions back to you.
o Provide somewhere for students to store new words that they
encounter. Students could use a chart to keep track of these new
words and their meanings as they read.
o If you had students start a KWL before reading, have them fill in
the “L” section as they read the passage.

After reading:
 Reinforce new vocabulary using multiple modalities.
Examples of activities:
 Holt Elements of Literature - 2008 Grade 8

o Using the words that you had students work with before the
reading, require students to include the words in the culminating
writing task.
o Create Frayer models with the words. Then cut up the Frayer
models and have the students put the Frayer models back
together by matching the pieces for each word.

 After reading the passage, continue to examine important sentences (1–2)

in the text that contribute to the overall meaning of the text. Guide
students to break apart these sentences, analyze different elements, and
determine meaning. More information on how to do this, including models
of sentence deconstruction, can be found here.

 When completing the writing assignments after reading, consider using

these scaffolds to support students depending on their English proficiency.
Examples of Activities:
o For all students, go over the prompt in detail making sure to break
down what the prompt means before having the students get to
work. Then have the students explain the directions back to you.
o Have students create an evidence tracking chart during reading,
then direct them to look back over their evidence chart and work
with a group to see if their evidence matches what the rest of the
class wrote down. If some of the chart does not match, students
should have a discussion about why.
o For students who need more support, model the proper writing
format for your students and provide them with a properly
formatted example for reference.
o For newcomers, you may consider creating sentence or paragraph
frames to help them to write out their ideas.