Inference
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
October 2015
Core Skills Workout
Name: ____________________________________________ Date: ________________
Ichabod’s Inferences
Directions: Washington Irving doesn’t say exactly what happens to Ichabod Crane at the end of The Legend
of Sleepy Hollow. But you can put together clues in the play to infer what might have happened. In sections
1-3, read each set of lines from the play. Think about the questions in small type on the sides. Then make an
inference to answer each question in bold. Answer the questions in sections 4 and 5.
1. Think about these lines from Scene 3:
Ichabod: Katrina and her father are having a party tonight. Should I attend?
What does this
line tell you about
the kind of person
Brom is?
Van Ripper: Of course. Why wouldn’t you?
Ichabod: Well, Brom Bones will be there. He said if he caught me near
Katrina, he’d flatten me like a pancake.
What can you guess
about how Brom
feels about Katrina?
What can you infer from these lines about Brom’s feelings about Katrina? What can you infer about his
personality? Explain.
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2. Now think about these lines from Scene 3:
How does Ichabod
feel about Katrina?
Ichabod: Well, I’m merely giving Katrina singing lessons. But I can’t help
noticing her many charms.
Van Ripper: And that her family has quite a fortune.
What is Van Ripper
suggesting?
Ichabod: I suppose Brom should have some competition, don’t you think?
Competition for
what?
What do these lines tell you about what Ichabod plans to do?
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Continued on next page >
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Inference
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
October 2015
Core Skills Workout
Name: ____________________________________________ Date: ________________
Ichabod’s Inferences, p. 2
3. Think about these lines from Scene 8:
Brouwer: The next morning, Gunpowder wandered home, but Ichabod did
not return.
New Schoolmaster: What happened to him?
Jansen: Nobody knows. A search led to the bridge. Ichabod’s hat was found
next to the brook, and close beside it, a shattered pumpkin.
Why would
Brom laugh?
N2: Brom Bones chuckles to himself.
How does Brom feel about Ichabod’s disappearance? Why might he feel that way?
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4. Find a line that describes Brom’s horse, Daredevil. Write it here:
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Now find a line that describes the Headless Horseman’s horse. Write it here:
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What do you notice when you compare the two horses?
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5. Think about the last line of the play:
Knickerbocker: Others heard that Ichabod was alive and well—just scared
out of town by the ghost. They suspected that perhaps Brom Bones knew
more of this matter than he chose to tell. What is Knickerbocker suggesting? Do you think that what he’s suggesting is true? Explain.
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© 2015 Scholastic Inc. Teachers may make copies of this page to distribute to their students.
Character
Core Skills Workout
Name: __________________________________ Date: _____________
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
October 2015
Interpreting Ichabod
Directions: Answer the questions in the chart below to help you analyze the character of Ichabod Crane.
Use specific examples of description, actions, and dialogue from the play The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
Description
What does Ichabod look like? How does he behave around other people? Who does he like?
Actions
How does Ichabod act toward Brom Bones? What does he do at the Van Tassels’ party?
Dialogue
How does Ichabod respond when the villagers tell him ghost stories?
Conclusion: Based on what you wrote above, choose three different adjectives to describe Ichabod Crane.
Write a paragraph on a separate sheet of paper explaining why each of these adjectives fits him, using your
examples from above.
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Plot
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
October 2015
Core Skills Workout
Name: ____________________________________________ Date: ________________
The Pumpkin-Head Plot
The action of a story is called the plot. Most plots follow a similar pattern. The introduction
presents a character’s main problem. Then the problem gets more complicated until the
climax—or exciting turning point—of the story happens. And then (whew!) the resolution:
The problem is resolved. Finally, there’s a conclusion. In this activity, you’ll figure out the
different parts of the plot in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
Directions: Fill in each block in the pyramid, using the prompts to help you.
3
Climax
What happens when
Ichabod is riding home from
the party?
3
4
Resolution
What do the
villagers tell the new
schoolmaster about
Ichabod?
2
Plot Thickens
What does Ichabod do at
the Van Tassels’ party? How
does Brom Bones react?
2
4
5
Conclusion
What does
Knickerbocker
hint about
the ghost’s
identity?
1
Introduction
What problem
is Ichabod
facing?
1
5
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Author’s Craft
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
October 2015
Core Skills Workout
Name: ____________________________________________ Date: ________________
Understanding Author’s Craft
Directions: Author’s craft is the way an author uses language to tell a story with a certain effect. One thing
authors often do to help readers picture a character or scene is use figurative language. Look at the following
examples from The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Then answer the questions about what the author means.
Simile
A simile is a comparison of two things that are not normally alike, using like or as.
Example: “N2: As Ichabod dances, his long limbs fly around the room like an octopus in a _tornado.” (p. 18)
1. What does this simile tell you about how Ichabod is dancing? _______________________________________________
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Metaphor
A metaphor is a word or phrase that compares two things without using like or as.
Example: “Brom: What is that overgrown grasshopper doing here?” (p. 18)
2. Who is the “overgrown grasshopper”? What does Brom suggest about him by using this metaphor? __________
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Hyperbole
A hyperbole is an exaggerated statement that is not meant to be taken literally.
Example: “Knickerbocker: Ichabod was very tall, with long arms and hands that dangled a mile out of his
sleeves.” (p. 17)
3. What does this exaggerated description tell you about Ichabod’s appearance? ________________________________
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