Free Lunch

 



"If you are having a hard time, my advice is simple. Hang in there. Give it time. Life likes to surprise you when you least expect it. And stay strong. No matter how dire things seem, things can change. Until they do, no one can take away your ability to hope." 

-Rex Ogle (Free Lunch 129). 

Reviewed by: Grace Chan, Daniel Bui, Haley Brown and Corrin Blanchard


     Although Rex Ogle's birthday is unknown, he was born and raised mostly in Texas and grew up poor as he navigated a rough childhood of poverty, prejudice, and abuse under his peers, abusive mother, and other adults in his life. From a young age, Ogle picked up on a few signs indicating his family's economic status and has survived on the bare minimum his mother could afford. He mentions a time in second grade where someone asked him why he had the 8 crayon set vs the 152 set. It wasn't until middle and high school where he struggled the most, due to not having the popular clothes brands his peers could afford and his inability to pay for his lunch. He found reading comics a big part of his life as it gave him an escape from reality, but also a gateway for kids’ reading. Moreover, superheroes play a big role in offering him good role models with moral compasses he needed and wanted to live up to and inspire him to be a better person, which came in the form of his grandma, who also grew up poor. Thanks to this, she could relate to and encourage him to pursue education for a better future.

    After college, he moved to New York to pursue editorial work where he became a part-time book editor and a full-time writer. It’s stated on some sites that he was a former children’s book editor in New York as well. He interned at Marvel Comics, before switching to DC Comics and then later on, at Scholastic and Little Brown Young Readers. He’s helped create several works from popular franchises and series such as X-Men, Justice League, Star Wars, LEGO, Power Rangers, Transformers, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Next to his best known memoir, Free Lunch, that explores his childhood, Ogle’s also created Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy: Graphic Novel, Teen Titans issues #83, 84, 85, 86, and 87, Flashpoint: The World of Flashpoint, and Ben 10 Classics Vol. 4.    
    Despite the world evolving and services becoming more available, he believes that everyone should be educated on the issues that the people around them are suffering under, which is why he wrote Free Lunch. In order to make the story as authentic and lived as possible, Ogle sat back thinking about old memories for hours, asked friends and family members to verify the information, listened to music and watched his favorite shows and movies from that time, and placed himself back into the shoes of his child self and all his terrible experiences.
    
By presenting his stories to young readers, he’s able to show readers what it’s like to go hungry and experience abuse and prejudice along with inspiring those who’re going through their own challenges to see that there is something worth fighting and living for. When he’s not writing, Ogle’s either reading or spends time outdoors.


Works Cited:


A true story of the author’s childhood, Free Lunch by Rex Ogle is a riveting story of a child dealing with the struggles of poverty as it grips and tears apart his family. While most would view home as a place of comfort and warmth, Rex, with brutal honesty, paints his home as a place of conflict and turmoil. A home is a place that Rex wishes to escape from. Stricken with verbal and physical lashings from his mother and her boyfriend, Rex unveils a cold and unforgiving truth about the world that he, along with many kids like him, have no choice but to shamefully live in. Through the author’s eyes, we see the effects that the hardships of poverty has on his family. For the majority of the novel, Ogle views his mother with disdain and hatred, viewing her as one of the central sources of his family’s struggles. Ogle also views his family’s financial situation as a burden to hide from the world. When his mother first enrolls him into the free lunch program at his school, Ogle looks upon it with shame and views it as a symbol of his inferiority to his peers, doing his best to hide it from his friends. Ogle must also deal with adult figures such as his English teacher and their discrimination against him due to his dark skin color and tattered clothes. Shameful and embarrassed of the reality that he lives in, Ogle looks on with envy at his peers with their homemade lunches and amount of friends, and he wishes to live in this perceived perfect world they reside in, escaping from the pains of his. Turning each page of this novel only unveils the harsh and cruel trials that Ogle endlessly goes through in his childhood. However, Ogle does not narrate his tragic childhood without its silver linings. Against the persistent flashes of brutality, Ogle miraculously finds small seeds of hope, from the beginnings of a friendship with an eccentric schoolmate or the visits and insightful words of his abuela. Even the relationship with his mother begins to improve. Ogle eventually grows weary of fighting with his mother, and slowly finds compassion within him to forgive and reconcile with her, realizing that his mother is just as much a victim as he is to their financial circumstances. Ogle sprinkles these hints of maturity throughout the novel, as he also eventually comes to view the free lunch program less as an embarrassment, no longer attempting to hide it from his peers. However, the most striking notion of his maturity that the author writes for us is the acceptance of the inescapability of his situation. Ogle slowly comes to realize that he cannot control the turbulent circumstances surrounding him, only his reactions to his, and it is the realization of this that we see Ogle’s life slowly change for the better. Overall, Free Lunch by Rex Ogle is a powerful caricature of the reality of a poverty-stricken household, complete with its brutal tribulations and slivers of hope. 


1. https://www.fns.usda.gov/nslp
This website provides information about the National School Lunch Program (NLSP) in schools throughout America. A program fact sheet is provided on this website that lists nine frequently asked questions and responses about the NSLP.  This gives teachers, parents, and others who are interested in the NLSP more information about the program and how it is implemented in schools.
 
2. https://youtu.be/7klu3qeXxBY
This YouTube video, called Effect of Children Growing up in Poverty, discusses the differences in the lives of children growing up in poverty compared to peers who have more money. The video points out that children growing up in poverty, like Rex Ogle, often fail to receive an adequate amount of food and are hungry throughout the day. While poverty can affect many aspects of a child's life, it is important for adults to be supportive of these children with academics and in social situations. Teachers should also work to remove the shame that children might face because of poverty and hunger. 

3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIYUlv-ZEgM
This YouTube link is a video of Rex Ogle discussing who he is and why he wrote Free Lunch. He summarizes the book and explains that the book discusses about domestic violence, poverty, and other problems that come with starting middle school. The video might be nice to show students to help them understand the author better and recognize that he is a real person who grew up in poverty. 

This document, called Trauma-Informed Care for Children Exposed to Violence- Tips for Teachers, provides information to educators about domestic violence. It lists warning signs of domestic violence in different age groups from young children, elementary-school aged, and teenagers. The document also briefly covers how teachers should respond if a child discloses information about domestic violence. 
This link provides information on how schools can address poverty. First, the article discusses the problem of poverty. Second, the article lists many ways that the schools can address poverty through social justice, academic opportunities, and by providing school supplies, food, and other materials to help the child be successful and feel supported. If schools do not necessarily implement these ideas, teachers can look to incorporate these aspects into the classroom to help students in poverty.

6. https://www.facs.nsw.gov.au/domestic-violence/about/effects-of-dv-on-children
This article, called The Effects of Domestic and Family Violence on Children and Young People, includes a video with children talking about a time when they experienced domestic violence in the household. If a teacher played this video in the class, it would be important to mention that this might be triggering to anyone who has experienced this, so the student should be allowed to leave the room if necessary. This website also talks about the effects on children, physical safety, and how children are affected at different ages throughout life. 

7. http://www.childwitnesstoviolence.org/facts--myths.html
This website discusses facts and myths about domestic violence in the household and how it effects the child. Statistics are provided to allow teachers and others, who read this, have a better understanding of the realities of domestic violence. 
This website, called The effects of poverty on education in the United States, is a resource that discusses statistics on poverty in the United States. It mentions how poverty reduces a child's school readiness and often deters their academic progress and motivation. This website also includes programs, like The Childfund Just Read!, which helps children learn how to read who do not have the resources to do so. 


9.https://www.amle.org/BrowsebyTopic/WhatsNew/WNDet/TabId/270/ArtMID/888/ArticleID/351/Leading-Learning-for-Children-From-Poverty.aspx
This website provides teachers with effective practices that can be used to help students with poverty succeed. First, it includes seven ways that teachers can connect to and validate a child living in poverty. Also, seven ways that teachers can educate and respond to a child with poverty are discussed. Overall, this website emphasizes the importance of supportive teachers for students who are living in poverty. 

10.https://www.feedingamerica.org/take-action/advocate/federal-hunger-relief-programs/national-school-lunch-program
This website further discusses the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). It discusses what students qualify for the program and how the NSLP works in schools across the country. In addition, this website includes another link to an interactive map of the United States that portrays child food insecurity rates in counties and states. 

Grade Level:  9-10

Materials: Daily journal, Free Lunch by Rex Ogle, electronic device to type up assignments (provided by the school or personal one at home), and a mask!:)

Background: According to the Orange Unified School District's COVID regulations, all high schools in the area have adopted a block schedule for 2020-2021, allowing classes to be a 40-minute duration. Throughout the school year, students will keep a journal where they free-write about anything in their lives for 5-10 minutes at the beginning of each class unless given a specific topic for certain units, such as this one. 

The week's reading schedule as follows: 

Monday 

 Tuesday

 Wednesday

 Thursday 

 Friday-Weekend 

"Coupons" to "Football"

 (1-29)

 "Free Reading"  to  "Halloween"

(30-58)

 "Weird Kid" to "Spelling"

(59-88)

 "Glass Eye"    to "Chopsticks"

(89-114)

 Finish Novel "ChristmasTree" to "Authors Note"

(115-130)

 

Students are required to annotate and highlight specific moments in the text as they read to be prepared for class. If borrowing a book or unwilling to write in the text, alternatively, students can use sticky notes for their annotations. 


Objectives:

1. To have students engage the text in ways they find intriguing and can relate to on personal levels. 

2. To help students develop a stronger sense of empathy for what others are going through when thinking of differing perspectives.

3. To have students show critical thinking skills as they become immersed in the literature by analyzing the different characters.

4. To have students create a moment from or inspired by the text to understand literature through a medium that makes them comfortable, thus showing an understanding of the text.   

5. The chance to better public speaking and reading skills while possibly working with another. 

6. To explore the impact that certain topics, such as poverty, can have on individuals. 

Common Core Outcomes:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.2
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.3
Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.3
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.3.B
Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, reflection, and multiple plot lines, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.3.D
Use precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language to convey a vivid picture of the experiences, events, setting, and/or characters

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.4
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.6
Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products, taking advantage of technology's capacity to link to other information and to display information flexibly and dynamically.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.10
Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.

ACTIVITY

This instructional assignment is a project built up by three aspects (1) students will spend 7 minutes doing a free-write at the beginning of class about the novel by explaining an important moment that stood out to them by including a quote from the text or by paraphrasing. They are then asked to explain why they choose this specific moment, and finally, students will relate this moment from the text to any real-world observations or personal experience. Here, I wish to let students know that this activity will be private so they feel compelled to explore this topic with honesty in a safe space. Upon entering the classroom, I will instruct the students to take out their journal and follow the prompt written on the board. It will read:

These entries will remain private and not shared with anybody else. If you wish for me NOT to read your entry when grading, please say so on the title line. 

 1.) By use of a quotation or by paraphrasing, choose one moment from yesterday's assigned reading that resonated with you. (Cite by using Author's last name and page number // chapter title) 

2.) Then, explain ~ why ~ this moment resonated with you. Who is involved in this moment? How does this moment show the importance of the topic in the text? 

3.) Lastly, try to relate this moment in the text to your own personal experience or observation of this in real life. 

 In the second phase, (2) students will then watch in a short video about a poem highlighting one of the main themes discussed in the novel, poverty, and how that might affect others (3 minutes). While they watch this video, I will begin to hand out the instructions for the Perspective assignment. 

 Slam Poetry on Poverty 

Then, I will explain the importance of understanding the different perspectives of others and why it is necessary that we acknowledge these different perspectives and personalities (about 2 minutes). After, the class will participate in a group discussion by raising their hands to say what characters in the book stood out to them and to describe the personality traits of these characters using one word attributes as I write them on the board (5 minutes). This will allow for a comprehensive list of the characters in the novel and what makes them who they are for the students to then refer to for the Perspective assignment. 

Finally, in stage three (3) I will briefly explain the handout of the Perspective assignment to students and give a few examples such as:

1.) Create a script with dialogue of what it might look like if Rex Ogle could talk to his childhood self now. 

2.) Focusing on Rex's mother, create a monologue of how her outer words to Rex might differ from how she truly feels inward as a parent.

3.) Create a poem from the perspective of Rex about one of the many conflicts he faces. 

4.) Write a story about where the characters might be in the future as one of the characters from the novel.

5.) Create a scene of what it might look like if Rex's mother were to argue with his grandmother over buying him nice things.

I will then instruct them to choose their partner (while social distancing) or begin to work alone for the rest of the class period as they pick up a school provided laptop that has been sanitized (about 20 minutes for work). Whatever is not finished by the end of class will then be homework for over the weekend as their assignment needs to be handed in by the end of the class period on the proceeding Monday. It is also important that I mention if the students choose to perform their assignment in class on Monday (I will put markers down for social distancing purposes) they will earn extra credit points equivalent to one quiz grade. If one of the partners chooses not to present, the other partner still has the opportunity to present and receive full credit. 



The Perspective Assignment will be worth 40 points, but up to 60
if the students choose to present!  


Works Cited:

http://www.corestandards.org

Transcript of assignment (because the picture is blurry):

    There are no two people exactly alike in this world; every person has a different reality than another. While reading Rex Ogle’s Free Lunch, we come to understand the many complex characters who create a positive or negative impact on Rex’s life while they live their own life. To demonstrate your knowledge of the book and its characters, alone or with a partner, you will create an original script, monologue, short narrative, song, poem, etc. through the perspective of at least one of the characters in the novel typed using MLA format. You may write using a real or imagined experience or event based on the book and its characters. One might consider picking up where a chapter left off, creating a new scene or chapter, exploring why a certain event made a character feel a certain way, what might happen to the character’s after the novel, etc. The purpose of this project is to understand the various points of view others might see through and which aspects of their life create who they are and how they are perceived by others.

Background Paragraph: (4-6 sentences) This should be a brief introduction of the character(s) you will be embodying in the writing, as well as any additional information you might need to understand the scene you have set up. These details should, but are not limited, to answer the questions who, what, where, when, how, and why. 
Artistic Medium of Choice: (1-2 pages in length) This does NOT include your header, title, and background information paragraph. Try getting into the head-space of the character(s) you are writing about. What is his/her/their personality like? What emotions might he/she/they feel? How might he/she/they respond to certain moments? How might he/she/they express themself? Look through the text to better understand who these characters are and how you interpret them.


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