Shook

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Use the origin story assignment Dr. Betts gives Shake’s language arts class as an invitation for students to engage in the same kind of reflection that shapes Shake’s growth. After reading Shook, discuss why Dr. Betts might give this assignment and how Shake responds to the prompts. Consider how writing about his own origin story helps Shake think differently about himself and his experiences.

Invite students to choose one or more of the same prompts Shake was given and respond using free verse. Encourage them to write in a way that feels true to their own experiences, drawing from memories, people, places, traditions, interests, or moments that have helped shape who they are and who they want to be. Remind students that an origin story can include many different kinds of experiences and that they may choose what they feel comfortable sharing.

Prompt #1: What is a symbol you associate with your origin story? How did you become who you are now?

Prompt #2: What activity brings you comfort when times are hard? How long have you been doing it, and what is the origin of this activity?

Prompt #3: What is the story of a significant event that happened before you were born? What primary sources can you cite?

Prompt #4: What’s a fact about your origin that foreshadows who you are now? Use specific details and locations in your answer.

Prompt #5: Who is a hero of yours? Do you know them personally? Do you want to be like this person? If so, why?

As students reflect and write, encourage them to experiment with the form of their poems, using techniques they notice in Shook, such as repetition, lists, spacing, or visual elements. After writing, invite students to share their poems with a partner, small group, or the class if they choose, discussing what they learned about themselves or what they noticed about the experiences that have shaped them.

Questions for Discussion or Reflective Writing

• How did Shake get his name? What power do you think names and labels have to shape how we see ourselves?
• How does Shake define himself? What parts of Shake’s identity are the most important to him? How does Shake’s injury challenge the way he sees himself? Have you ever faced a challenge that required you to grow in order to solve it, move past it, or learn from it? What did that experience teach you about yourself?
• How does Shake’s father influence the way Shake thinks about basketball, success, and himself? What pressures does Shake feel from his family?
• Why do you think Shake isolates himself after he fractures his ankle? What might be difficult about asking for help or support? Why is it okay to ask?
• Why did Shake’s mother feel it was important for him to speak with a therapist? How is therapy portrayed in the book? Why do you think Shake’s father kept his own anxiety and experience with therapy a secret? How might a conversation like the one Shake and his father finally have help change the way families think and talk about mental health?
• How are Shake and Kyla both wrestling with how they see themselves? How do they each decide how to share the parts of themselves that feel most vulnerable?

Related Resources

Julian Randall website

Characteristics of Free Verse Poetry from ReadWriteThink

Free Verse from Poets.org