The other kids in the story were not fair to Margot. They were mean to her and didn't try to understand how she felt.
Note: Students' main ideas might be different, but they should say clearly if they think the other kids were fair or not.
1. "They surged about her, caught her up and bore her, protesting, and then pleading, and then crying, back into a tunnel, a room, a closet, where they slammed and locked the door." (p. 2)
2. "She was a very frail girl who looked as if she had been lost in the rain for years and the rain had washed out the blue from her eyes and the red from her mouth and the yellow from her hair." (p. 1)
Note: Students should find two parts from the story that show if the kids were fair or not. They should copy the words exactly and use quote marks.
The first quote shows that the other kids were mean to Margot. They locked her in a closet even though she was crying. This wasn't fair because Margot didn't do anything wrong.
The second quote tells us that Margot was already sad and lonely. She looked weak and pale. The other kids should have been nice to her, but instead, they were mean. This made Margot feel even worse.
The other kids acted this way because they were jealous that Margot remembered the sun. They didn't try to understand how she felt. This shows us that it's important to be kind to people who are different from us.
Note: Students should explain how their proof shows that the kids were fair or not fair. They should connect the quotes to their main idea.
In the story "All Summer in a Day," the other kids are not fair to Margot. They are mean to her and don't try to understand how she feels. We can see this when they lock Margot in a closet. The story says, "They surged about her, caught her up and bore her, protesting, and then pleading, and then crying, back into a tunnel, a room, a closet, where they slammed and locked the door" (p. 2). This shows that the kids hurt Margot and ignored her crying. They are especially unfair because Margot is already sad and lonely. The story describes her as "a very frail girl who looked as if she had been lost in the rain for years and the rain had washed out the blue from her eyes and the red from her mouth and the yellow from her hair" (p. 1). Instead of helping Margot feel better, the other kids make her feel worse. They act this way because they are jealous that Margot remembers the sun. But being jealous doesn't make it okay to be mean. This story teaches us that it's important to be kind to people who are different from us, even if we don't understand them.
Note: This paragraph shows how to put the main idea, proof, and explanation all together. Students' paragraphs might be different, but they should include all parts of their argument.
Remember: These are just examples. Students' answers might be different. What's important is that they have a clear main idea, use proof from the story, and explain how the proof supports their idea.