Rant...

What irritates you?

Giving

If you could give any gift in the world, what would you give and to whom?

If only...

If you could talk to one character from Nineteen Minutes, who would it be and what would you say? Why did you choose the character?

Jealousy

Do you become easily jealous of others accomplishments (brother, sister, friends)? How can you turn jealousy into joy?

Adulthood

It seems like when you are a kid growing up you can't wait to get to be a grown up and when you are a grown up you wish you could be back. Imagine one day in which you are granted adulthood for 24 hours. How do you utilize this 24 hour period? What sort of things would you do with your new adult status?

Time Travel

The opportunity arises to go back in time and alter one event. What event do you alter? Describe your encounter from the past and its consequences in the present.

You can choose your last meal. What will the menu consist of?

Truth

If you could find out the truth about one thing, what would it be?

Depressed?

Who do you talk to when you are feeling down? What does this person do that helps? Do you ever do the same for others?

Hear the Music

Take a character from Nineteen Minutes and examine your ipod . What three songs best describe the character?

Revenge

“When you begin a journey of revenge, start by digging two graves: one for your enemy, and one for yourself.” From Nineteen Minutes

Write a blog explaining your belief that seeking revenge can be justified or can never be justified. Support your thesis with examples from texts your have read, examples from the news, or your own experiences.

Popularity

Ask a random kid today if she wants to be popular and she’ll tell you no, even if the truth is that if she was in a desert dying of thirst and had the choice between a glass of water and instant popularity, she’d probably choose the latter. See, you can’t admit to wanting it, because that makes you less cool. To be truly popular, it has to look like it’s something you are, when in reality, it’s what you make yourself.

I wonder if anyone works any harder at anything than kids do at being popular. I mean, even air-traffic controllers and the president of the United States take vacations, but look at your average high school student, and you’ll see someone who’s putting in time twenty-four hours a day, for the entire length of the school year.

So how do you crack that inner sanctum? Well, here’s the catch: it’s not up to you. What’s important is what everyone else thinks of how you dress, what you eat for lunch, what shows you TiVo, what music is on your iPod.

I’ve always sort of wondered, though: If everyone else’s opinion is what matters, then do you ever really have one of your own? (p. 241)

Is popularity more important than anything else…dying of thirst?

What is the difference between being popular and belonging to the group?

Can everyone be popular?

Abusive Control

What are some ways you’ve seen people try to gain control over other people?

Is emotional abuse just as damaging as physical abuse? Can it be worse?

US VERSUS THEM

He was staring in a way that cut her to the quick. Josie shivered. “I’m not,” she said quickly, and she took a deep breath. “I just…I don’t like the way you treat kids who aren’t like us, all right? Just because you don’t want to hang out with losers doesn’t mean you have to torture them, does it??

“Yeah, it does,” Matt said. “Because if there isn’t a them, thee can’t be an us.” His eyes narrowed. “You should know that better than anyone.” (pp. 218 – 219)

In a middle school setting…talk about the “them” vs. “us.”

Can middle school ever break down the barriers so that each and every student feels a part of the school?

Is there Another Way?

What are some other ways, besides sex, to express your love or affection for a boyfriend or girlfriend?

Time

When is it okay to start having sex? Why do you think that?

Regrets

Do you know anybody your age who has been harmed by being sexually active, or who regrets being sexually active? What were their regrets?