Daniel’s Story by Carol Matas
PART 1: Pictures of Frankfurt
Chapter 1 - 4
VOCABULARY: Find the meaning of each word. Then write a synonym (a word that means the same
but is spelled differently) or a phrase for the following words and rewrite the sentence using the
synonym or phrase.
Chapter 1
disorient(ed), pg 3
generation, pg 3
rucksack, pg 4
merchandise, pg 7
synagogue, pg 8
boycott(ed), pg 8
chancellor, pg 9
Chapter 2
inferior(ity), pg 12
vermin, pg 12
citizenship, pg 14
ghetto, pg 19
SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS:
Chapter 1:
Chapter 3
miserable, pg 21
pact, pg 21
loot(ing), pg 22
expel(led), pg 22
idle, pg 24
Chapter 4
petty, pg 32
profession, pg 32
companon, pg 33
despise(ed), pg 34
defy(ed), pg 35
When answering short answer questions:

Use complete sentences

Include details

I should be able to tell what the question was based on your answer
1. At the beginning of Chapter 1, Daniel and his family are on a train. Where have they come from
and where are they going? Why?
2. Describe some of the thoughts and emotions Daniel might be feeling as he is sitting on that train
being transported away from his home.
3. How did Adolph Hitler come to power in Germany? Why did the German people not try to stop
him?
4. Why did Germany need to earn back its dignity?
5. Imagine that you were suddenly told that you had to leave home and go and live in a camp with
other people and that there is nothing you could do to change this. What would you do?
Chapter 2:
1. Describe the event that happened at school that caused Daniel to start going to a Jewish school.
2. In Chapter 2, Daniel, “realizes that it was then that my life really began to change.” Why is
Daniel beginning to realize this?
3. Describe two ways the Nuremburg laws changed life for the Jewish people.
4. As the Jewish people faced oppression and lost more of their rights, what was their response?
5. What was the main purpose behind the newsreel “The Eternal Jew” ? How do you think that
Daniel and Erika must have felt after watching this movie? What effect do you think this movie
would have had on the German people?
6. At the end of this chapter, there is a family conference, if you had been part of this family
meeting, what would you have wanted to do?
Chapter 3:
1. Describe how the Nazis began to identify Jewish people?
2. What was Kristallnacht and when did it occur?
3. After Kristallnact, what dramatic thing happen that made life very hard for Daniel’s family and
why did this have such a significant effect on the family?
4. What special gift did Daniel receive from Oma Miriam and why did she give it to him? From this
gift, what did Daniel learn about himself?
5. Why wouldn’t the United States or any other country take the Jews? What were their reasons?
6. Why were children considered dangerous?
Chapter 4:
1. What happened to Uncle Peter? Why did this happen?
2. How was Daniel affected by what happened to Uncle Peter? What about the rest of the family?
3. How was the summer for Daniel, Friedrich and Erika like a typical summer you might have and
how was it different?
4. What news did Daniel’s family get and what do you think is going to happen to them?
5. Describe in your own words what is happening to the Jewish people and do you think this was
part of Hitler’s master plan?
6. Describe what you think life will be like for Daniel’s family now that they are living in Lodz,
Poland?
7. Why do you think the Nazis were moving the Jews to the ghettos?
PART 2 MAJOR TASK:
Create a character analysis of the key characters we were introduced to in Part 1. Information you will
need to include is: name of character, key attributes and their relationship to Daniel. You need to
decide the format you are going to use (i.e. create a table, set up a word document, create a picture
web, etc.)
Understanding of
ideas and
information


accurately
states
idea(s) in
own words
identifies
relevant,
supporting
details
Uses thinking
and processing
skills to clarify,
ask questions,
make inferences
or predictions
beyond the text
to clarify
1
Beginning - D
2
Developing - C
3
Meeting - B
4
Established - A
Demonstrates limited
understanding;
 has difficulty
identifying the topic
or main idea or
restating/representing
information
 work is partially
accurate
Demonstrates some
understanding:
 identifies some
relevant main
ideas/details
 work is generally
accurate but may lack
detail or be
incomplete
 information recorded
without much
organization
Demonstrates limited
ability to interpret,
reason, and explain:
Demonstrates some
ability to interpret,
reason, and explain:
Demonstrates
considerable
understanding:
 identifies the relevant
ideas/details but may
have difficulty
restating in own
words
 work is generally
accurate, clear,
complete
 information is
organized
Demonstrates ability
to interpret, reason, and
explain:
Demonstrates thorough
understanding:
 accurately restates
specific relevant
ideas/details in own
words
 work is accurate,
clear and thorough
 information is
organized and may
include additional
facts not found in
text
Demonstrates high
degree of ability to
interpret, reason, and
explain:



does not make
inferences
(During & After
Reading)
Makes logical
connections
between the
current text and
his or her own
knowledge,
experience,
thoughts, and
feelings
(During & After
Reading)
offers a simple
inference or
prediction beyond
the text, viewing or
listening that may
be highly unlikely
Makes connections
with limited
effectiveness:
Makes simple
connections with some
effectiveness:
 needs one-to-one
coaching to offer a
response
 unable to offer an
opinion
 offers simple
responses that may be
vague
 offers an opinion
with simple reasons
but connections may
not support the
opinion
offers a reasonable,
relatively obvious
inference or
prediction beyond
the text, viewing or
listening
Makes relevant
connections with
considerable
effectiveness:
 expresses thoughts
and feelings
 offers opinion with
relevant connections

offers an insightful
inference or
prediction that goes
beyond the obvious
and offers a
relatively original
idea
Makes thoughtful
connections with a high
degree of effectiveness:
 expresses thoughts
and feelings with
explanations or
supporting detail
 offers an opinion with
convincing
reasons/connections
that support opinion