NBTT Final Assessment: Click here for directions and due date

 

book trailer: http://digitalbooktalk.com/?p=1

Nothing But the Truth - Novel Study Notes and Information 

 

Think about:

1. What can you infer from looking at the title and cover of the book?

2. What does it mean when the court says “Do you swear to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you God?

3. Does anyone ever lie?

Nothing But The Truth Characters:

1. Philip Malloy - 9th grade student, class clown, wants to be in the Olympics, runs track, average student – only does what he has to to get by

2. Miss Narwin- 9th grade English teacher, 21 yrs., dedicated, loves her job, (Peg or Margaret – names used)

3. Dr. Joseph Palleni- vice principal at Harrison High School; in charge of discipline

4. Dr. Gertrude Doane– (woman) principal at Harrison HS, former student of Miss Narwin

5. Mr. and Mrs. Malloy – Philip’s parents; supportive of him, not great communicators

6. Mr. Ted Griffin - neighbor of the Malloys; running for a seat on the school board

7. Allison Doresett– girl that likes Philip at school

8. Dr. Seymour – school superintendent; responsible for all schools in the area and the budget

 

Setting:

1980’s  New Hampshire

Harrison High School

Plot:

A high school student creates a conflict with his 9th grade English teacher that leads to many internal and external conflicts.

Words to Know:

Memorandum (memo)

school board

school superintendent

 

Chain of command:

 

Check the reading log and words below -- each day -- as they are added.

 

Pages 1-15 

We meet Miss Narwin and Philip; he doesn’t like her class but she thinks he has a lot of potential - he is just lazy and trying to get out of doing the work; bad grade on English exam - they are reading "Call of the Wild" and he thinks it is a stupid book about dogs while Miss Narwin just wants him to appreciate the literary aspect,not necessarily like it. Philip class Allison, a girl in school who he has heard likes him for help with the book - he uses what he thinks is humor to talk to girls and is somewhat a class clown; Philip's homeroom is changed to Miss Narwin; Narwin asks for a grant for a class to improve her teaching; Philip is planning to try out for the track team and has been working out - he really enjoys running and sees it as his ticket to meeting girls, being popular, and getting to the Olympics; we find out Miss Narwin is a dedicated teacher as she writes a letter to her sister in Florida about trying to find ways to reach her student when they don't seem interested.

Miss Narwin writes letters to her sister; Philip writes in a diary his thoughts.

 

 

 

Understanding the school budget -

1. All money for public schools in the US is from property tax - if you own a house or property, the taxes you pay go to support schools

2. Taxpayers approve school budgets

3. Schools budget money (allocate it) to all the departments and needs they have.

4. If they need 1.5 million dollars, the voters (electorate) can say no, cut something. The school then cuts something and says now we need 1 million. The schools have to keep doing that until the budget is approved. If it isn't, schools can end up closed for a period of time.

Words to know: in his stead (in his place), front of the line (best, most important), flinty-faced (look like stone), middling (average), carpe diem (seize the day), facilitate (speed up,make easier), entice (tempt, lure), beneficiaries (people who benefit from something), tuition (money for classes), municipal (local gov’t.), to the bone (bare minimum, least amount needed), blunt (to the point,straightforward), particulars (specifics, details), electorate (group of voters), spring for (pay for), allocate(divide up, give to different areas)

 

 

Meet Miss Narwin and Philip; he doesn’t like her class and she thinks he has a lot of potential; announcement rules; he changes HR’s, bad grade on English exam – can’t try out for track, her fault not his; Narwin asks for $ for a class to improve her teaching, too late – given to  band teacher; Seymour worried about budget; Jamison says no pass, no play, you need to go along to get along- Philip only has a D in English so he can't even try out for the team. Philip says he didn't know and blames everything on Miss Narwin.

 

His parents get his grades and Mr. Malloy talks to Philip.They don't communicate well as a family and Philip doesn't tell him that he couldn't try out because of his grades. He says he changed his mind and of course his dad doesn't understand.

Reading Comprehension Check

1. What is the rule when the Star Spangled Banner is playing?

2.  Why does Miss Narwin apply for a grant?

3. What is the school superintendent, Dr. Seymour, most concerned about?

4. Give two reasons why Miss Narwin is upset when she doesn't receive the grant.

5. Why can't Philip try out for the track team?

6. What advice does Coach Jamison give him?

7. What seems to be the biggest problem with/in Philip's family?

8. If your mom tells you see is going to cut back your allowance "to the bone" unless you shape up, what is she going to do?

9. Constituents and electorate are both words to describe what?

 

 

Pages 27- 58 

 

Philip’s parents get his grades; dad doesn’t think it is a serious problem, he doesn’t like to read either; says he is just a kid and kids do what they want to do; Philip doesn’t tell his parents the real reason he didn’t try out for track; Philip goofs off in homeroom to try and get his class changed; moody on bus – Allison losing interest; tells parents teacher hates him, won’t let him sing/hum along to SSB in class; dad tells him he supports him and to stand up for his rights;

 

Miss Narwin talks to other teachers about SSB rules –others beat around the bush (no direct answer); Malloy family seems to have a lack of communication, poor listening skills; Miss Narwin asks the other teachers about the rule for singing the SSB in class - Mr. Benison and Mr. Lunser. Lunser beats around the bush and never gives her a direct answer. Philip continues to try to annoy Miss Narwin in class by acting up during the SSB. His goal is to get moved out of her homeroom and English class, not to be patriotic. He ends up in the vice principal's office. He is in trouble for breaking a rule - disrespect of the teacher and not following directions. He admits that he was singing/humming but refuses to apologize to get out of the suspension. Miss Narwin doesn't want the suspension and says that Philip should change homerooms if that will help. Philip's parents continue to believe whatever he says without following up with the school or teacher to see if there is another side to the story.

 

 

 

Words to know: pell mell (every which way); bedlam (chaos); vigilant (on guard, watchful); bickering (arguing); “bread and circus”- all about the money and looking good; “death warmed over” – depressed, sad, pale, tired, worn-out; stamina - energy or fortitude

 

 

 

Philip tells parents Narwin hates him, won’t let him sing the SSB in class; really he is acting up in class to get changed, not to be patriotic; Philip acts up in HR again (second time), gets sent to the vice principal Palleni;

 

Palleni doesn’t see Philip’s offense as serious, he has worse problems, Philip beats around the bush with his answers; his is just breaking a rule and being disruptive in class; he tells him to follow the rules that that he’ll talk to the teacher to get her side of the story;

 

Philip’s dad as a run-in with his boss over a job he messed up but just takes the blame – sometimes you have to be responsible even when it isn’t directly your fault; sometimes your individual rights don’t count;

 

Dr. Doane tells Narwin she is their best English teacher and her students score higher on standardized tests than all other classes; Narwin feels lucky her principal supports her; Phil feels lucky his parents support him;

 

 

 

 

 

Words to know: insolence (rudeness, nonsense, stubbornness), bucks me up (makes me happy, feel better), in his bad books (on his bad side, where he’ll keep a list of wrongs against me), infraction (breaking a rule), bygones be bygones (forget the past, let it go), level with (be honest, upfront with), took a licking (got beat up)

 

A summary of the story so far in chronological order - click here

 

 

Pages 58 –80

 

Philip tells parents Narwin hates him, won’t let him sing the SSB in class; really he is acting up in class to get changed, not to be patriotic; Philip acts up in HR again (second time), gets sent to the vice principal Palleni; Palleni doesn’t see Philip’s offense as serious, he has worse problems, Philip beats around the bush with his answers; his is just breaking a rule and being disruptive in class; he tells him to follow the rules that that he’ll talk to the teacher to get her side of the story; Philip’s dad as a run-in with his boss over a job he messed up but just takes the blame – sometimes you have to be responsible even when it isn’t directly your fault; sometimes your individual rights don’t count; Dr. Doane tells Narwin she is their best English teacher and her students score higher on standardized tests than all other classes; Narwin feels lucky her principal supports her; Phil feels lucky his parents support him; he gets in trouble again in HR, sent to the office a second time (2 infractions in one week = suspension); Palleni tells Phil if he will apologize to Narwin he will forget the whole thing, nothing on his record, otherwise he is calling his parents and it’s suspension; Palleni talks to Narwin, she suggests changing HR’s, feels suspension would be counterproductive (make the situation worse not better) but Palleni says nothing will happen unless Philip apologizes; he refuses; Palleni calls his mom, beats around the bush, and tells her to come in to get Philip.

 

 

 

Words to know: insolence (rudeness, nonsense, stubbornness), bucks me up (makes me happy, feel better), in his bad books (on his bad side, where he’ll keep a list of wrongs against me), infraction (breaking a rule), bygones be bygones (forget the past, let it go), level with (be honest, upfront with), took a licking (got beat up)

 

 

 

Make sure you can answer these questions:

 

• At Harrison High School, what are students supposed to do when the national anthem is played?
• What is Philip Malloy’s biggest dream?
  
• When Philip first tries to impress Allison, how does she react?
  
• Who gets the money instead? For what?
  
• Why is Philip Malloy failing English?  
• Why can’t Philip try out for the track team?
  
• What does Coach Jamison suggest Philip do to solve the problem?
• What reason does Philip tell his dad to explain why he is not trying out for the track team?
  
• What does Philip do to disrupt Miss Narwin’s homeroom class?
  
• What does Philip do to disrupt Miss Narwin’s English class?
  
• What is Philip’s motivation for disrupting Miss Narwin’s classes? What is he hoping to get?
  
• What do the other students (not Philip) think about Miss Narwin’s class?
  
• When Philip disrupts Miss Narwin’s homeroom a second time, what does Miss Narwin do to Philip?
• When Philip tells his parents about what is happening in homeroom, what is their opinion about Philip’s behavior?
•  

Pages 97 – 121

 

Philip talks with Jennifer Stewart,the reporter, about the incident at school at Ted Griffen’s house. All say he was suspended for singing the SSB. Jennifer calls school to get other side of story: Seymour says no rule against singing the SSB, Doane was unaware of the incident and referred her to Palleni, Palleni said no comment but that her facts were wrong, Narwin admits to sending him out but tells her to talk to principal and doesn’t give her any other information. Phil gets the HR change memo Sat. morning and he and his mom assume the school admits they were wrong and Philip was right and that they only forgot to change his English class as well. The story comes out in the Sunday paper – Seymour sees it and calls Doane – tells him it isn’t a big deal – she’d talked to Palleni and it was taken care of. The article printed is full of errors and doesn’t tell the true story.

 

 

Errors so far in the story: Marwin or Narwin; talked to Asst. Princ. not Principal; teacher doesn’t hate him and the kids like her; good teacher not bad one; no rule against singing the SSB; 9^th grader not 10^th grader; wasn’t suspended for singing the SSB; it all comes across as Miss Narwin being the bad guy and Philip the model student and citizen

 

Words to know: shoo-in – guaranteed to win; condone – not approve of or support; hit the fan – the situation will get worse, come to a climax

 

Pages 121-135

 

The article is printed in the Sunday paper; Dr.Seymour calls Dr. Doane about it but they both think it will amount to nothing; Ken calls Phil and says it isn’t true, but it’s funny; Philip’s parents feel important and glad their son stood up for himself. The story goes out on the AP wire (a service that sells stories to newspapers from reporters around the world for a fee – they can then use whichever stories however they want)

 

 

 

The story is now in newspapers across the country and featured on Jake Barlow’s Talk Radio show. The callers feel Miss Narwin should be fired, that they would take their kids out of school if she were their teacher, school should support patriotism. The story is slanted (one sided, not all the information) Gloria Harland, the school board chairman calls Seymour to find out the story; he calls Doane to tell her to write a statement he can give about the truth. Ted Griffen meanwhile is using Phil's story to promote his campaign for school board.

 

Words to know: gripe – makes mad,upset; half-cocked – go off with only part of the story

 

 

pages 136-173

 

Dr. Doane gets a call from a reporter (Robert Duval) out of St. Louis Dispatch that ran the story in his paper and wants to get the other side of the story. Story continues to build on the radio - Jake tells listeners to starting sending Miss Narwin mail, starts a letter campaign. Dr. Doane talks with Narwin and Palleni to get the whole true story and then talks to some students as well. The students don't really give her the whole story, but enough to suggest there was a problem. Palleni writes the first memo about the incident and it changes as each person (Doane, Seymour) adds what they want to make it sound so they aren't responsible. At this point, they are trying to put the blame on Philip, and off of the school.

 

Telegrams start coming in to Narwin, Philip and Dr. Doane from patriotic groups around the country. Philip is worried about going back to school because of what the other kids might say. Dr. Seymour talks with Dr. Doane now that the situation has escalated (gotten worse) and gotten out of control on how to handle it. They can't blame Philip now because the press loves him, so he wants to see Miss Narwin's file to see if he can find some dirt on her to maybe help blame her for the situation. (She will become their scapegoat.)

 

Philp's dad continues to use track analogies to talk with his son and offer advice. His parents are excited to see the story going so big because it makes them feel important.

 

Words to know: American Legion - group of/club for veterans; Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club - groups of local businesses that meet to talk about their community; raucous - rude, loud, disrespectful; emphatic - feel strongly about something or emotional over it; scapegoat - the person that ends up with the blame in a situation instead of the others; albeit - though; animosity - deep hatred or loathing

 

 

 

pages 174 - end
The kids tease Philip when he returns to school so he decides he isn't going back. Miss Narwin also calls in to take the day off. She finally talks to Mr. Duval and gives him her side of the story. The school budget doesn't pass but Griffen does get elected to the school board. Miss Narwin gets offered: the rest of the term off, money to take the class she wanted, full pay, no effect on her pension, like a sabbatical; she would return in the fall ready to teach again and the story would have been forgotten by then; they can't fire her because she has tenure, but it looks as if they are offering her things to get her to resign or to put the blame on her. Seymour takes a sentence out of context in a letter she wrote to make it look like she is a bad teacher and gave it to Griffen to use in his speech. Coach Jamison seems to be the only person supporting Narwin at the school and tells Philip he really "did a number" on her and he should have followed the rules.

 

Philip ends up at Washington Academy, a private school, where there is no track team. They find out he doesn't even know the words to the SSB. He loses everything all because he wouldn't just do a little work to pass a class and ruins a teacher's career. Miss Narwin goes to FL to be with her sister and is still thinking of resigning. Mr. Duval doesn't get Miss Narwin's story in the paper because other more important stories came up.

 

Words to know: tenure - when you have worked with a school or company for 10 or more years, they can't fire you; pension - retirement plan; sabbitical - paid time off usually to pursue further education and then your job is waiting when you return; expedite - speed up the process; animosity - deep hatred or loathing of someone or thing.

 

 

Conflicts/Problems to know between:

1. Philip and his parents - a lack of communication

2. Philip and Miss Narwin - dislike of the class and the teacher

3. Philip and Dr. Palleni - no clear communication on the problem or how serious it was; what he really wanted

4. Miss Narwin and Dr. Doane - who to support, the teacher or the school system/administration

5. Miss Narwin and Dr. Seymour - who to blame for the incident; what's important at school,- the show or education

6. Philip and Allison - unable to connect on any level

Setting: Harrison, New Hampshire, Harrison High School

Examples of Irony in the story:

1. Miss Narwin is the best teacher at the school and yet b/c of the article, everyone wants her fired.

2.  The story was about Philip's right to sing the SSB and he doesn't even know the words.

3. Narwin was made out to be the scapegoat so the budget could pass and no one even came out to vote for it.

4. Dr. Doane, a former student of Narwin, was part of the group that was against her in the end.

5. Once Miss Narwin finally decided to get her story out, it was pushed aside for other breaking news.

6. All Philip wanted to do was be on the track team and his new school doesn't even have a team.

Themes or Messages presented in the story or that you can learn from?

1. Make sure you have all the facts, both sides of the story, before you make a judgment or decision

2. What goes around goes around - do unto others as you would have them do unto you

3. Don't make a mountain out of a molehill - don't let a small situation snowball into a huge irrelevant incident

4. When you are in the right, stand up for yourself and what you believe - don't count on others to do it for you

5. Take responsibility for your actions and face the possible consequences

What happens in the end to...

1. Miss Narwin - goes to FL to be with her sister; still thinking about resigning

2. Philip - goes to a private school; no track team, loses his friends, spends his college money, no Allison; doesn't know the words; more teasing

3. Ted Griffin - wins a seat on the school board

4. Dr. Seymour - doesn't get the budget passed

5. Dr. Doane - loses a good teacher and the respect and trust of Miss Narwin

6. Mr. and Mrs. Malloy - spend Phil's college money

7. Dr. Palleni - never held responsible for anything that went wrong, though he was a big part of

 8. Allison - forgets Phil; mad at him for his treatment of Narwin; she and Todd  start a petition

 9. Mr. Duval - never prints Narwin's side of the story

 

 

Test Review Questions - if you know these answers, you'll do well on the test:

 

1. According to the original memo, what was the rule for the playing of the Star Spangled Banner?

 

2. Why can't Philip try out for the track team?

 

3. Why does Philip get suspended from school?

 

4. What was Miss Narwin's perception of Philip when she first met him at the open house?

 

5. What is Philip's plan to getting things done at school in most of his classes?

 

6. Why does Miss Narwin apply for a summer grant program?

 

7. What does Coach Jamison try to teach or impress upon Philip?

 

8. Why is it vital, in Dr. Seymour's opinion, to get the budget passed the second time?

 

9. What happens every time Philip is in Miss Narwin's class?

 

10. Why does Philip think he isn't passing English class?

 

11. What does Philip's dad always use to try and talk to Philip about his problems?

 

12. How does Miss Narwin feel when she doesn't get her grant?

 

13. Why does Philip act up in class and try to get in trouble?

 

14. What do Philip's parents never do throughout the whole story?

 

15. When Miss Narwin says that Dr. Seymour is only interested in "bread and circuses," what does she mean by that?

 

16. If you "beat around the bush" you are doing what?

 

17. What is Dr. Palleni's attitude toward Philip's behavior when he comes to his office?

 

18. What does Dr. Doane tell Miss Narwin that lets her know she is their best teacher?

 

19. What does it mean to "pass the buck?"

 

20. Why doesn't Philip's dad stand up to his boss at his job like he tells Philip to do?

 

21. What does Palleni ask Philip to do so that they can forget the whole incident?

 

22. Who actually suspends Philip?

 

23. If something is "counterproductive," what does that mean?

 

24. Why does Philip take the option offered him by Palleni and avoid the suspension?

 

25. What happens when Mrs. Malloy talks to Mr. Palleni?

 

26. How did Miss Narwin feel about the consequences Mr. Palleni gave Philip?

 

27. Why doesn't Miss Narwin do anything further with the situation herself?

 

28. What did Miss Narwin plan to do when Philip returned from his suspension?

 

29. What did Coach Jamison suggest to Philip so he could qualify for the track team?

 

30. Why is Ted Griffen concerned about Philip's situation?

 

31. What does Miss Stewart do to confirm the information the Malloy's have given her?

 

32. Why does Dr. Palleni send out the homeroom memo change after he told Philip he wouldn't unless he apologized?

 

33. What do the Malloy's think when Philip is transferred out of Miss Narwin's homeroom?

 

34. Why are there so many errors printed in the newspaper story?

 

35. Why are Philip's parents so excited about being in the paper while Philip isn't?

 

36. What is the Associated Press?

 

37. What happens when the story gets on Jake Barlow's Radio Program?

 

38. Why does Dr. Seymour ask for the files on Miss Narwin?

 

39. Why does each person change the memo written about the incident?

 

40. What does Dr. Doane do to try and get some more information on the incident?

 

41. What do Young Americans for America and the Society of the Preservation of Free Speech have in common?

 

42. What is Miss Narwin's response when she finds out that the story is in newspapers all across the country?

 

43. What attitude do the students at the school have toward Miss Narwin?

 

44. Once the story is out and his homeroom is changed, what does Philip say he'll do?

 

45. Several teachers and veterans send telegrams to Miss Narwin to express what?

 

46. What is the attitude of the students at school toward Philip when he returns?

 

47. Why does Dr. Doane move Philip from Miss Narwin's class?

 

48. Why is the changing of homeroom and class good for Phil but bad for Miss Narwin?

 

49. Where does the story take place?

 

50. Who was the one person at the school that always was supportive of Miss Narwin?

 

51. What does Philip want to do so he doesn't have to face the kids at school?

 

52. What is ironic about the school budget not passing?

 

53. Why doesn't Miss Narwin's story ever get printed?

 

54. What is ironic about Philip transferring to Washington Academy?

 

55. If a story is slanted that means it tells what?

 

56. If someone is blamed for the problems of others when it isn't their fault, they are considered what?

 

57. The American Legion is an organization made up of whom?

 

58. In what order are the assistant principal, principal, and school superintendent?

 

59. What is a theme we can learn or take away from reading, Nothing But The Truth?

 

60. What did you learn from looking at different news articles on the same story on the internet?

 

61. What is the connection between Dr. Doane and Miss Narwin?

 

62. How does Ted Griffen use Philip's story?

 

63. Where does Miss Narwin's sister live?

 

64. What is Dr. Seymour's biggest concern with the school system?

 

65. What is the biggest problem Philip and his parents have?

 

66. What actually causes the whole situation to start?

 

67. What does Philip sacrifice by not doing the right thing from the beginning?

 

68. Which characters were negatively affected by Philip's actions in the story?

 

69. They offered Miss Narwin a sabbatical, meaning she would do what?

 

70. What do Mr. and Mrs. Malloy never do throughout the whole story?

 

71. Who is never held responsible for their actions in the suspension incident?

 

72. Which character didn't appear to take school too seriously?

 

 

Be sure to know all the words to know from the story, the conflicts, and examples of irony.