Hafner 1

Victoria Hafner
Dr. Doubet
MSSE 470E
5 February 2015
Knowledge Menu Part One: Relationships
Personal Significance:
The concept of relationships is personally intriguing to me because I always find myself
drawn to finding connections. It is fascinating to see how characters relate to each other based on
their power dynamic. As a teenager, I remember feeling particularly attached to Hermione
Granger from the Harry Potter series. She was a character that served as a role model for me
because she is so smart and independent while still relatable. It was a comforting experience to
see others, even if they were fictional, going through some of the challenges that I was facing in
middle school and high school. Reading about others who were going through divorce, dating
boys, and figuring out who their true friends made an impact on how I handled those things
myself.
Middle School Significance:
Relationships are arguably one of the most important concepts in the minds of middle
school students. Middle school students going through hormonal changes will start focusing on
romantic relationships and dating in general. Girls and boys become interested in each other and
become self-conscious about appearances. They are also constantly changing their friend groups
and find different power dynamics among their friends. These different friend relationships
define who they are as person in relation to the school. Cliques and organizations define a
students perception in the school as a jock, band kid, actor, etc. Family relationships are also

Hafner 2
important because students start to distance themselves from their parents and siblings when they
are in middle school. While this is an expected development, it is a time when teenagers question
their power dynamic in the home. The relationship changes in the realm of dating, friendships
and the family all stem into how the individual teenager relates to the world in general.
Importance to Language Arts:
Literature:
Relationships are important in literature because it is how one comes to understand
characters. When we study Macbeth, we analyze the power dynamic between Macbeth and Lady
Macbeth. How does their power change from the beginning to the end of the play? Students learn
about the law breaking friendship between Huck Finn and the runaway slave Jim as another
power dynamic that resists the government in Huckleberry Finn. When studying literature, we
tend to look at our relationship to the characters. How do we relate to them? Do we share some
of their good or bad qualities? An important aspect of literature is how it relates to the world.
Historicists often find the importance of literature at the time and relate it to ideas, beliefs, and
governing laws. In addition to the time of publication, we also look for how literature influences
us now. How did the publication of The Crucible influence readers then? How does it continue to
influence us now? Finding a relationship between publication and the present allows us to
examine the relationship of literature to the readers. It is the literary cannon and the important
relationship that helps us decide what will be taught in the classroom and what books we might
only reference.
Grammar:

Hafner 3
Grammar studies the relationship of words to another in meaning. We look for the
relationships of synonyms and antonyms to understand a word itself. Sometimes the easiest way
to understand a word is to know what it is similar and what is different. The relationship of a
prefix or suffix to a word is another way that we find meaning in grammar. Students will not
know all words, but they can use their knowledge about prefixes and suffixes with the root to
discover the meaning. Words themselves are also important because each individual one makes
up a sentence. Parts of speech consist of equally important words that together make a sentence.
For example, adverbs, verbs, nouns, adjectives are all different. They all carry their own
important function, but they need each other to make a complete sentence. Tree diagrams can
show the relationship of words to the rest of the sentence. In grammar, another important aspect
is the relationship between sounds and part of the mouth. The phonetic alphabet helps establish a
standard pronunciation for the relationship between sounds and words. Ironic enough, while the
pronunciation is standardized, there are still many differences. The different dialects establishes
the relationship between pronunciation and regions.
Reading:
Relationships are essential in reading because it is how we understand a story.
Exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and denouement are the five main components
of a story. As readers, we then use context clues and details to relate all the elements to form a
story. We also look at the relationship between characters and audience. To whom is the character
speaking? What is their relationship to the audience? What is the purpose of the story? Questions
like these establish a relationship between the characters and the readers as well as the author and
the audience. Another connection is the way a readers expectations relate to the reading.
Expectations for a textbook or a nonfiction piece are going to differ from a fiction piece.

Hafner 4
Writing:
The relationship concept is very important in writing because it establishes the link
between thinking and communicating your thoughts on paper. During the brainstorming process,
we tend to look at the beginning, middle, and end of a paper to summarize the main ideas. There
is also the thesis sentence that organizes the main argument and in which the body paragraphs
reference back to for the rest of the paper. Transitions are important when writing because they
establish a connection between ideas making sure that they relate in a logical manner. The
written form allows for a relationship between thoughts and feelings to a form of communication
that allows for expression.
Relation to Other Subjects:
Social Studies:
Relationships are important in social studies because it allows us to see how civilizations
and cultures connect. For example, the Silk Road connected many different places through trade,
war, and disease. Through this, however, Christianity and other ideas spread. Social studies allow
us to see the different perspectives in how groups relate to each other. For example, in
colonization, the colonists and Native Americans had different relationships to the history of
America because of the power dynamic. Students can study how women and men relate to one
another in different parts of the world while still analyzing the similarities and differences. Much
of history bases itself off the power dynamic between countries in the spreading of beliefs, trade,
and war.
Science:

Hafner 5
Relationships are important in science in that is solidifies our understanding of the world.
Scientists have used astronomy and physics to understand the relationship of Earth to other
planets in the solar system and explain the natural forces. A chemistry teacher can use
relationships to explain families in the periodic table of elements as well as the relationship
between chemicals to form substances. In biology, we study the relationship of plants and
animals in the ecosystem. The food chain keeps maintains a balance between animals because of
the power dynamic of predator to prey. If the relationship between predator and prey changes
then the entire ecosystem changes down to the smallest plants. This is a way to teach students
that things that might not directly affect us still have an impact in our lives.
Technology:
Relationships are important in technology because you can see how people relate to one
another through social media. Sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat have introduced
new ways to connect to people all over the world. It has dramatically increased the speed of
communication. These sites have provided a new medium through which students communicate.
It is positive in that friends can talk more often, but it is detrimental in that it has also created
cyberbullying on top of regular bullying in school. Technology has allowed online gamers to
communicate even when they have never met. Technology has brought a lucrative field for
potential jobs and has allowed regular people to become famous. The advancement of
technology can show how relationships have changed through time in that there is an emphasis
on the immediate response. It has also changed how we obtain information. Instead of
researching, many students can find the answers to their questions through a quick internet
search. Technology has changed the relationship of people to each other and the world.