How does Tom make work desirable without ever arguing that whitewashing is fun?
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
30 minutes total
ByMark Twain
Grade6-8
Time30 minutes
Essential question
How does Tom make work desirable without ever arguing that whitewashing is fun?
Marked passage
Passage location
Chapter II
Start anchor
Like it? Well, I don’t see why I oughtn’t to like it. Does a boy get a chance to whitewash a fence every day?
End anchor
Work consists of whatever a body is obliged to do, and that Play consists of whatever a body is not obliged to do.
Passage focus
The fence becomes desirable
Ways to teach it
Listening
Listen to the exact passage; visual following is optional. Same question and evidence demand.
Solo
Read the exact passage independently.
Supported
Use narration and sentence highlighting while reading the same passage.
Teacher guide
Close
Name the single detail that most changed or sharpened your interpretation, and explain why.
Evidence
Use Tom's performance of concentration, his reluctance to let Ben try, and Ben's switch from mockery to bargaining.
Mark
Underline Tom’s words and actions that make whitewashing look selective or difficult. Circle Ben’s reactions as his attitude changes. Star the moment Ben begins asking for access instead of mocking the work.
Instructional move
Track persuasion through scarcity and performance
Notice
• What facts about whitewashing remain unchanged throughout the exchange? • Which part of Tom’s performance makes Ben reinterpret the same task? • Why is making something scarce more persuasive here than directly praising it?
Strong answer
Tom changes desire by changing the social meaning of the task. He treats whitewashing as rare, difficult, and privileged, making Ben want access without ever arguing the work itself is fun.
Think
Answer provisionally: How does Tom make work desirable without ever arguing that whitewashing is fun? Choose the strongest interpretation you can defend from this passage alone.
Watch for
Do not say Tom convinces Ben with words alone. Scarcity and performance do most of the persuasive work.
Why this passage
Tom never argues that whitewashing is enjoyable. He changes Ben’s desire by acting as though the task is rare, difficult, and privileged. Scarcity and performance do the persuading, so the work becomes desirable without its nature changing.
Write
Write a short evidence-based response to: How does Tom make work desirable without ever arguing that whitewashing is fun? Use at least two details from the assigned passage and explain how they support your interpretation.
Student tasks
Mark
Underline Tom’s words and actions that make whitewashing look selective or difficult. Circle Ben’s reactions as his attitude changes. Star the moment Ben begins asking for access instead of mocking the work.
Notice
What facts about whitewashing remain unchanged throughout the exchange? Which part of Tom’s performance makes Ben reinterpret the same task? Why is making something scarce more persuasive here than directly praising it?
Think
Answer provisionally: How does Tom make work desirable without ever arguing that whitewashing is fun?
Write
Write a short response using at least two pieces of evidence from this passage. Use evidence from the assigned passage. Show what you noticed and how the text supports your interpretation.
Ready-to-teach lesson
TumbleTA 6-12 · TEXT-BASED LESSON
BATCH 07 · 6-8 · LESSON 131
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Mark Twain
How does Tom make work desirable without ever arguing that
whitewashing is fun?
TOTAL TIME
PASSAGE
30 minutes
The fence becomes desirable
FIND THE ANCHOR TEXT
Use the Anchor Text Table of Contents in the Enhanced Reader to open the START anchor. Then use the dropdown to select the END anchor.
SECTION / LOCATION
Chapter II
START
Like it? Well, I don’t see why I oughtn’t to like it. Does a boy get a chance to whitewash a fence every day?
END
Work consists of whatever a body is obliged to do, and that Play consists of whatever a body is not obliged to do.
PASSAGE ID
sec-ts-01
THE MOVE
Track persuasion through scarcity and performance
WHY THIS PASSAGE
Tom never argues that whitewashing is enjoyable. He changes Ben’s desire by acting as though the task is rare, difficult, and privileged. Scarcity and performance do the persuading, so the work becomes desirable without its nature changing.
MARK
Underline Tom’s words and actions that make whitewashing look selective or difficult. Circle Ben’s reactions as his attitude changes. Star the moment Ben begins asking for access instead of mocking the work.
page 1
NOTICE
What facts about whitewashing remain unchanged throughout the exchange?
Which part of Tom’s performance makes Ben reinterpret the same task?
Why is making something scarce more persuasive here than directly praising it?
THINK
Answer provisionally: How does Tom make work desirable without ever arguing that whitewashing is fun? Choose the strongest interpretation you can defend from this passage alone.
WRITE
Write a short evidence-based response to: How does Tom make work desirable without ever arguing that whitewashing is fun? Use at least two details from the assigned passage and explain how they support your interpretation.
CLOSE
Name the single detail that most changed or sharpened your interpretation, and explain why.
STRONG ANSWER
Tom changes desire by changing the social meaning of the task. He treats whitewashing as rare, difficult, and privileged, making Ben want access without ever arguing the work itself is fun.
EVIDENCE
Use Tom's performance of concentration, his reluctance to let Ben try, and Ben's switch from mockery to bargaining.
WATCH FOR
Do not say Tom convinces Ben with words alone. Scarcity and performance do most of the persuasive work.
SOLO
Read the exact passage independently.
SUPPORTED
Use narration and sentence highlighting while reading the same passage.
LISTENING
Listen to the exact passage; visual following is optional. Same question and evidence demand.
page 2
STUDENT PAGE · SAME PASSAGE, SAME THINKING
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Mark Twain
How does Tom make work desirable without ever arguing that
whitewashing is fun?
START ANCHOR
Like it? Well, I don’t see why I oughtn’t to like it. Does a boy get a chance to whitewash a fence every day?
END ANCHOR
Work consists of whatever a body is obliged to do, and that Play consists of whatever a body is not obliged to do.
Use the Anchor Text Table of Contents in the Enhanced Reader to open the START anchor. Then use the dropdown to select the END anchor.
OPEN THE MARKED PASSAGE IN TUMBLELIT
SOLO: read independently. SUPPORTED: use narration + highlighting. LISTENING: listen to the exact passage. The question and evidence task stay the same.
1.MARK - Underline Tom’s words and actions that make whitewashing look selective or difficult.
Circle Ben’s reactions as his attitude changes. Star the moment Ben begins asking for access instead of mocking the work.
2.NOTICE - What facts about whitewashing remain unchanged throughout the exchange? Which
part of Tom’s performance makes Ben reinterpret the same task? Why is making something scarce more persuasive here than directly praising it?
3.THINK - Answer provisionally: How does Tom make work desirable without ever arguing that
whitewashing is fun?
4.WRITE - Write a short response using at least two pieces of evidence from this passage.
Use evidence from the assigned passage. Show what you noticed and how the text supports your interpretation.
page 3
Original printable PDF
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