CONCEPTS OF COMPREHENSION: A WRINKLE IN TIME 6TH GRADE UNIT
Student Packet
Directions: Use your book to fill out the information on the lines below. Then
write your name on this packet.
Title: A Wrinkle in Time
Author: ________________________________
Genre: ________________________________
Concepts: Theme, Vocabulary in Context, Setting, Plot, Compare and Contrast
Name: _________________________________________________
1
© 2010 Urban Education Exchange. All rights reserved
CONCEPTS OF COMPREHENSION: A WRINKLE IN TIME 6TH GRADE UNIT
Student Packet
Genre Lesson: Independent Practice
Name:________________________________
Date:_________________
Elements of Science Fiction
Directions: In the left-hand column, record the scientific details you come across as
you read Chapters 1-6 of A Wrinkle in Time. Then, identify the Science Fiction Element
each detail belongs to. Remember, the Science Fiction Elements include: future, outer
space or aliens, time travel, robots or technology, new societies, science experiments,
and a good vs. evil plot line.
Scientific and/or Fictional Details
Science Fiction
Element
2
© 2010 Urban Education Exchange. All rights reserved
CONCEPTS OF COMPREHENSION: A WRINKLE IN TIME 6TH GRADE UNIT
Student Packet
Genre Lesson: Independent Practice (continued)
Elements of Science Fiction
Scientific and/or Fictional Details
Science Fiction
Element
3
© 2010 Urban Education Exchange. All rights reserved
CONCEPTS OF COMPREHENSION: A WRINKLE IN TIME 6TH GRADE UNIT
Student Packet
Name: ______________________________
Date: ___________
Vocabulary Activity: One of These Words is Not Like the Others
Chapter 1: “Mrs. Whatsit” — Chapter 3: “Mrs. Which”
Directions: Read each group of words. Cross out the word that does not belong in the
group. Then explain why the remaining words belong together.
1.
peacefully
calmly
serenely
excitedly
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
2.
prodigious
extraordinary
remarkable
average
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
3.
accidentally
unconsciously
purposely
inadvertently
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
4.
calmly
raucous
blaring
disturbing
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
5.
offended
indignant
annoyed
pleased
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
6.
hesitantly
dubiously
doubtfully
unquestionably
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
4
© 2010 Urban Education Exchange. All rights reserved
CONCEPTS OF COMPREHENSION: A WRINKLE IN TIME 6TH GRADE UNIT
Student Packet
Name: ___________________________
Date: ___________
Comprehension Questions
Chapter 1: “Mrs. Whatsit” — Chapter 3: “Mrs. Which”
Directions: Read the questions and answer them in complete sentences or choose the
correct answer. Use the book to help you, if needed. Use details from the text to support
your answer. Record the Concept of Comprehension© on the line next to each question.
_____ 1. Describe the Murry’s house.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
_____ 2. How is Charles Wallace different from most five year old boys?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
_____ 3. Describe how Meg feels about herself.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
_____ 4. Describe the haunted house that Meg, Charles Wallace, and Calvin visit.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
_____ 5. What does it mean when Calvin and Charles Wallace refer to themselves as a
“sport”?
a. They enjoy and study biology.
b. They are unlike their parents because of a “change in gene”.
c. They enjoy and play many sports, such as baseball.
d. They like people to notice them.
5
© 2010 Urban Education Exchange. All rights reserved
CONCEPTS OF COMPREHENSION: A WRINKLE IN TIME 6TH GRADE UNIT
Student Packet
Comprehension Questions (continued)
Chapter 1: “Mrs. Whatsit” — Chapter 3: “Mrs. Which”
_____ 6. What do Calvin and Charles Wallace have in common?
a. They both worry when going to the haunted house and do not like Mrs. Who.
b. They both have large families and are the oldest children in their families.
c. They both enjoy baseball and are popular at school.
d. They both are “sports” and sometimes get a strange feeling to do something.
_____ 7. What is the main conflict for Meg’s family?
a. Mr. Murry was sent away on a work mission and the family has not heard
from him in a long time.
b. Meg has been thrown out of school.
c. Mr. Murry was injured and can no longer work.
d. Mrs. Murry is very sick.
_____ 8. Who does Meg’s father work for?
a. Institute for Higher Learning.
b. Cape Canaveral.
c. The government.
d. A university.
_____ 9. Describe the three characters: Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
_____ 10. On page 54, Mrs. Whatsit says, “Just because you’re a paltry few billion
years—“She is cut off before she finishes her statement. What was she going to say?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
6
© 2010 Urban Education Exchange. All rights reserved
Lesson 1 Independent Practice
Name: __________________________________
Date: _____________________
Unknown Words and Context Clues
Directions: Use the strategies to figure out the meaning of an unknown word. Record
the word and its possible meaning on the chart. Then, write a new sentence using the
word.
Strategies:
1.
Identify the unknown word.
2.
Reread the sentence in which the word is used.
3.
Reread the sentences that come before and after the word.
4.
Think about the possible meaning of the word.
Unknown
Word
Possible
Meaning of the
Word
New Sentence Using the Word
Lesson 1 Independent Practice (continued)
Unknown Words and Context Clues
Unknown
Word
Possible
Meaning of the
Word
New Sentence Using the Word
Name: ______________________________________
Date: ________________
Vocabulary Activity: Opposite Meanings
Chapter 4: “The Black Thing” — Chapter 6: “The Happy Medium”
Directions: Read each sentence from the story. The definition of each bold word has
been provided for you. Write two to four antonyms of the word on the line provided.
1. “Did a shadow fall across the moon or did the moon simply go out, extinguished as
abruptly and completely as a candle?” (Chapter 4, page 56)
abruptly: with great suddenness
antonyms: ____________________________________________________________
2. “There was an air of such ineffable peace and joy all around her that her heart’s
wild thumping slowed.” (Chapter 4, pp. 59-60)
ineffable: unable to be described using words
antonyms: ____________________________________________________________
3. “They seemed to be standing on some kind of nondescript, flat surface.” (Chapter
5, p. 83)
nondescript: uninteresting, dull, boring
antonyms: ____________________________________________________________
4. “Meg was in such an agony of impatience that her voice grated irritability.”
(Chapter 5, p. 89)
irritability: annoyingly, angrily, impatiently
antonyms: ____________________________________________________________
5. “’Just exactly because what you are you will be by far the most vulnerable.’”
(Chapter 6, p. 102)
vulnerable: weak, likely to be hurt or damaged
antonyms: ____________________________________________________________
“But he bounced it rather badly and with no particular rhythm, sometimes
dropping it and running after it with awkward, furtive leaps, sometimes throwing
it up into the air and trying to catch it.” (Chapter 6, p. 104)
furtive: sneaky, sly, secretive
antonyms: ____________________________________________________________
6.
Name: ___________________________
Date: ___________
Comprehension Questions
Chapter 4: “The Black Thing” — Chapter 6: “The Happy Medium”
Directions: Read the questions and answer them in complete sentences or choose the
correct answer. Use the book to help you, if needed. Use details from the text to support
your answer. Record the Concept of Comprehension© on the line next to each question.
_____ 1. Describe the planet of Uriel that the children have entered.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
_____ 2. What parts of planet Uriel symbolize beauty?
a. The dry grass and bushes.
b. The many shining stars.
c. The light and golden color.
d. The rainbow filled sky.
_____ 3. Are Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which human? Explain.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
_____ 4. Draw a two-dimensional shape.
_____ 5. Why was it difficult for Meg to breathe when the group stopped on the twodimensional planet?
a.
There was no air on the planet.
b.
Everything was flat on the two-dimensional planet.
c.
It was very cold on the planet.
d.
Meg was not able to completely materialize.
Comprehension Questions (continued)
Chapter 4: “The Black Thing” — Chapter 6: “The Happy Medium”
_____ 6. What is a “wrinkle”?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
_____ 7. What is the “tesseract”?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
_____ 8. How can the Dark Thing be overcome?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
_____ 9. Mrs. Whatsit gave Meg all her “faults”. What does that mean?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
_____ 10. What fault did Meg show when the group arrived on Camazotz?
a. Impatience
b. Laziness
c. Fear
d. Unkindness
Lesson 2 Independent Practice
Name: ___________________________________
Date: ________________
Setting Details
Directions: As you come across details that describe the setting in Chapter 6 of
A Wrinkle in Time, record them in the chart. If the detail describes something
different than reality, record it in the left-hand column; if the detail describes
something similar to reality, record it in the right-hand column.
Different
Same
Name: ______________________________
Date: ___________
Vocabulary Activity: Have You Ever?
Chapter 7: “The Man with Red Eyes” — Chapter 9: “IT”
Directions: Think about the meaning of the following words from A Wrinkle in Time.
snarls, vacant, tenacity, pedantic, inexorable, brusquely, ominous
Answer the following questions about the vocabulary words.
1. Would you want to have a dog that snarls at other people? Why or why not?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
2. How would you feel if you went to school and it was vacant?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
3. Would you want to be known for your tenacity? Explain.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
4. Describe a time that you heard someone speak in a pedantic voice.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
5. Describe a time that you were inexorable.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
6. Give an example of a time you acted brusquely towards someone or someone
acted brusquely towards you.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
7.
Would you want to be around something that makes you feel ominous? Why or
why not?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Name: ___________________________
Date: ___________
Comprehension Questions
Chapter 7: “The Man with Red Eyes” — Chapter 9: “IT”
Directions: Read the questions and answer them in complete sentences or choose the
correct answer. Use the book to help you, if needed. Use details from the text to support
your answer. Record the Concept of Comprehension© on the line next to each question.
_____ 1. Why did Charles give his mind over to the Dark Thing?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
_____ 2. What feeling does the author try to give the reader in her description of the
CENTRAL Central Intelligence Building?
a. Fear
b. Warmth
c. Humor
d. Curiosity
_____ 3. What does the CENTRAL Central Intelligence Building symbolize?
a. Individuality
b. Control
c. Family
d. Freedom
_____ 4. On page 139 Charles says, “We let no one suffer. It is so much kinder simply
to annihilate anyone who is ill.” What does annihilate mean?
a. Heal
b. Kill
c. Forgive
d. Make into a robot
_____ 5. Why has “IT” taken over Camazotz?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Comprehension Questions (continued)
Chapter 7: “The Man with Red Eyes” — Chapter 9: “IT”
_____ 6. What abilities does the Dark Thing, disguised as Charles, have?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
_____ 7. What are the conflicting forces in the story so far?
a. Uniqueness versus Sameness
b. Control versus Freedom
c. Good versus Evil
d. All of the above
_____ 8. What did Meg mean when she said, “like and equal are not the same thing at
all”?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
_____ 9. How was the experience of tessering with Meg’s father different from tessering
with Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
_____ 10. How has Meg held off IT from taking over her mind?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Lesson 3 Independent Practice
Name: ___________________________________
Date: ________________
Symbols Brainstorm
Directions: Choose a character to analyze (Meg, Calvin, or Charles Wallace).
Write down the details about the character. Then, think about the higher meaning
of the character and what it could symbolize.
Character’s Name: _____________________________________________
1.
Describe the character’s physical traits, personality, and actions.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
2.
Identify what this character symbolizes by looking at the above details.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Name: ______________________________
Date: ___________
Vocabulary Activity: Four Square
Chapter 10: “Absolute Zero” — Chapter 12: “The Foolish and the Weak”
Directions: For each word below, write the definition, examples of the word, and nonexamples of the word. You may use a dictionary if you are unsure of the meaning of the
words.
1. Word
Examples
brittle
Definition
Non-examples
2. Word
Examples
inadequate
Definition
Non-examples
3. Word
Examples
exuberance
Definition
Non-examples
Vocabulary Activity: Four Square (continued)
Chapter 10: “Absolute Zero” — Chapter 12: “The Foolish and the Weak”
4. Word
Examples
trepidation
Definition
Non-examples
5. Word
Examples
permeating
Definition
Non-examples
6. Word
Examples
distraught
Definition
Non-examples
Name: ___________________________
Date: ___________
Comprehension Questions
Chapter 10: “Absolute Zero” — Chapter 12: “The Foolish and the Weak”
Directions: Read the questions and answer them in complete sentences or choose the
correct answer. Use the book to help you, if needed. Use details from the text to support
your answer. Record the Concept of Comprehension© on the line next to each question.
_____ 1. Was Mr. Murry’s decision to tesser a good decision? Explain.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
_____ 2. The coldness mentioned frequently in the story symbolizes:
a. Fear
b. Time travel
c. Control
d. Evil
_____ 3. Compare the planet (Ixchel) that the group is now on with Camazotz.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
_____ 4. Aunt Beast tells Meg about the fight between good and evil. What are some of
the things in the universe that symbolizes good?
a. Fear and Shyness
b. Love and Kindness
c. Control and Order
d. Darkness and Evil
_____ 5. Why has Meg not been able to control her anger?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Comprehension Questions (continued)
Chapter 10: “Absolute Zero” — Chapter 12: “The Foolish and the Weak”
_____ 6. Why do the Beasts find it difficult to communicate with humans?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
_____ 7. What does prevail mean in the sentence, “May the right prevail”?
a. Last a long time
b. Win
c. Battle
d. Hide
_____ 8. What gifts did the Three Mrs. W’s give to Meg before sending her to
Camazotz?
a. Love, Spectacles, and A Blessing
b. Spectacles, Kindness, Respect
c. Love, A Blessing, and Something that IT does not have
d. Spectacles, A Blessing, and Something that IT does not have
_____ 9. Which of the following events from the story belongs in Box B?
Meg cries about
Charles Wallace
being controlled
by IT.
Box A
a.
b.
c.
d.
Meg tessers to
Camazotz with
Mrs. Which.
Box B
Box C
Meg tessers to Uriel with Mrs. Which.
Aunt Beast gives Meg a gift.
The Mrs. W’s give Meg gifts.
Meg tessers to see the Happy Medium.
Meg saves
Charles
Wallace.
Box D
_____ 10. How did Meg resolve her conflict with her father?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Lesson 4 Independent Practice
Name: ______________________________
Date: ______________
Plot Conflict Worksheet
Directions: Think about the conflict between Meg and IT and answer the questions
below.
Conflict: Meg vs. IT
Details of this Conflict:
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
At what point in the book was this conflict resolved?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
What events led to the resolution?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Lesson 5 Independent Practice
Name: ______________________________
Date: ______________
Thinking about Theme Worksheet
Describe how the conflict between Meg and IT was resolved.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Based on the resolution of the above conflict, what is theme or author’s message
to the reader?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
CONCEPTS OF COMPREHENSION: A WRINKLE IN TIME 6TH GRADE UNIT
Student Packet Answer Key
A Wrinkle in Time
(Page references refer to the page that the activity appears on in the student packet.)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Elements of Science Fiction, pp. 2-3
Genre Lesson Independent Practice
pp. 9-10: Meg’s parents give her and Charles Wallace tests; science experiments
p. 15: Mrs. Murry has a science lab and is a scientist; science experiments
pp. 21, 23: Mrs. Whatsit and Mrs. Murry mention the tesseract; time travel
pp. 25-27, 48: Meg mentions that her father is a physicist; scientific experiments
pp. 51-52: Father is on a dangerous, scientific mission; scientific experiments
pp. 54-55: Mrs. Who and Mrs. Whatsit materialize in front of Meg, Calvin, and Charles
Wallace; outer space or aliens and time travel
pp. 56-59: The Mrs. W’s and the children travel to Uriel; time travel, new societies, outer
space
pp. 59-61: On planet Uriel, now is spring, peaceful, air smells sweet; outer space and
new societies
p. 62: Traveled to Uriel by tessering/wrinkling; time travel, outer space
pp. 64-65: Mrs. Whatsit transforms from looking like a human to a creature that looks like
a horse with wings. She carries the children while she files around the planet, Uriel;
aliens
p. 66: Granite plains on Uriel; new societies; outer space
pp. 66-68: Creatures on Uriel singing; new societies; outer space
pp. 68-70: The children have to use a special flower to breathe; outer space and new
societies
p. 70: The children see Uriel’s golden moon; outer space and new societies
pp. 71-73: The children see the dark Thing; good vs. evil plot line, outer space and aliens,
new societies
pp. 74-75: Mrs. Which and Mrs. Whatsit tell Meg that her father is being controlled by the
Dark Thing, but she feels that Meg can save him; good vs. evil plot line, outer space and
aliens, new societies
p. 75-79: Mrs. Who explains to the children about wrinkling and tessering; time travel;
outer space
pp. 79-80: The Mrs. W’s and the children tesser to a planet with no atmosphere; time
travel
pp. 81-90: The Mrs. W’s and the three children arrive on Orion’s Belt where they meet
with the Happy Medium; aliens and outer space
p. 84: Mrs. Whatsit says that she is, “2,379,152,497 years old; aliens
pp. 85-90: The Happy Medium shows the children Earth through her crystal ball and it is
being overcome by the Dark Thing; good vs. evil plot line, outer space, and technology
pp. 91-92: The Happy Medium shows the children that a star (light) was giving up its life
to help overcome the Dark Thing; good vs. evil plot line and outer space
pp. 98-99: Mrs. Whatsit and the children tesser again and arrive on Camazotz; time
travel, new societies, and outer space
pp. 103-113: The children walk around Camazotz and see rows of homes. People come
out of the homes simultaneously and act simultaneously; time travel and new societies
Vocabulary Activity: One of These Words is Not Like the Others, p. 4
Chapter 1: “Mrs. Whatsit” — Chapter 3: “Mrs. Which”
1. excitedly; The remaining words can be used to describe something that is quiet and
composed.
2. average; The remaining words can be used to describe something that is out of the
ordinary.
1
© 2010 Urban Education Exchange. All rights reserved
CONCEPTS OF COMPREHENSION: A WRINKLE IN TIME 6TH GRADE UNIT
Student Packet Answer Key
3. purposely; The remaining words can be used to describe something that is done
unintentionally.
4. calmly; The remaining words can be used to describe something that is very loud and
noisy.
5. pleased; The remaining words can be used to describe someone that is very angry and
annoyed.
6. unquestionably; The remaining words can be used to describe something that is
uncertain.
Comprehension Questions, pp. 5-6
Chapter 1: “Mrs. Whatsit” — Chapter 3: “Mrs. Which”
1. S
Meg’s bedroom is in the cold attic of the Murry’s house. The windows in her room
rattle from the storm. The floorboards are made of wood and are cold to walk on. Outside of
her room is the main attic which is used as the Murry’s storage room. On the floor below the
attic is Meg’s parents room with a double bed, her brother Charles Wallace’s room, and then
a third bedroom for her twin brothers, Dennys and Sandy. The kitchen is on the first floor and
has flowers on the window sills. A bouquet of flowers is on the table. There are curtains on
the windows with a red, blue, and green pattern. There is an old stone dairy off the kitchen
that has Mrs. Murry’s science lab. A pantry beyond the lab led outside.
2. Co/Co, C He hardly talked when anyone else was around. When he did talk, he spoke
in a very mature way. He seemed to know what Meg and his mother were thinking. Once
Charles Wallace learned to speak, he started talking in full sentences.
3. C
Meg feels like a delinquent. She is upset about her performance at school as she
has been dropped down to the lowest section in her grade. She tackles some boys on the
way home from school because they say that Charles Wallace is dumb. She is also upset
that her father is gone and that she shows her feelings of sadness about this.
4. S
It is in the woods behind their house. It is where Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and
Mrs. Which. The house was surrounded by elm trees. The house was covered with yellow,
damp leaves. The windows were blank and some of the shutters had come unhinged. A
board was nailed across the door. The back door also appeared to be nailed shut, but
creaked when opened. It had rusty hinges. The house was dark. The house had a kitchen
with a huge fireplace and a chimney.
5. ViC
b. They are unlike their parents because of a “change in gene”.
6. C, Co/Co d. They both are “sports” and sometimes get a strange feeling to do
something.
7. P
a.
Mr. Murry was sent away on a work mission and the family has not heard
from him in a long time.
8. C c. The government.
9. C
Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which all live in the haunted house in the
forest behind the Murry’s house. Mrs. Whatsit wears many layers of clothing, including
scarves, a coat, a hat, and boots. Her clothing is very colorful. She has a small amount of
gray hair tied into a knot on the top of her head. She has bright eyes, a very round nose, and
puckered lips. She is very bold and likes to talk. Mrs. Who had very large and thick glasses.
She enjoyed sewing sheets. She was very plump and cheery. She often quoted famous
people instead of having a conversation with others. Mrs. Which shimmers and she quivers
because she cannot fully materialize. She stutters when she speaks.
10. DC
She was probably going to tell Mrs. Who that just because Mrs. Who is older
then her does not mean that she is smarter or knows more.
Unknown Words and Context Clues, pp. 7-8
Lesson 1 Independent Practice
Unknown words can include, but are not limited to: fluid, retort, fort, wryly, clenched, somber,
judiciously
Vocabulary Activity: Opposite Meanings, p. 9
2
© 2010 Urban Education Exchange. All rights reserved
CONCEPTS OF COMPREHENSION: A WRINKLE IN TIME 6TH GRADE UNIT
Student Packet Answer Key
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Chapter 4: “The Black Thing” — Chapter 6: “The Happy Medium”
gradually, slowly
definable, describable, utterable
distinguishable, unordinary, unique
kindly, sweetly
protected, safe, secure
honest, open, truthful
Comprehension Questions, pp. 10-11
Chapter 4: “The Black Thing” — Chapter 6: “The Happy Medium”
1. S
Uriel is a place that is very light and golden. The ground is covered with new,
green grass. Small, multicolored flowers are growing out of the grass. There is an extremely
high mountain whose top is covered in puffy white clouds. Birds are singing at the bottom of
the trees. It is a very peaceful place. Beyond the fields is a large plateau filled with granite-like
objects. There is also a garden filled with singing creatures like Mrs. Whatsit. The creatures
are beautiful and have a marble white body that looks like a horse. The creatures have a
head that looks like a man and beautiful wings. The garden is filled with flowers and a river.
Beyond the garden is cold, dry land. Uriel also has several golden moons.
2. Th, S c. The light and golden color.
3. C, DC No. When they were on Earth, they changed themselves to look human so that
people would not be suspicious of how they really look. They are from the planet Uriel and
can transform themselves into humans. They are really white creatures that have wings and
fly. Their heads look like a man and their body looks like a horse. They were previously stars
that gave up their lives by battling the Dark Thing.
4. ViC
Students should draw any two-dimensional (flat) shape such as a square,
triangle, or rectangle.
5. C/E, S b. Everything was flat on the two- dimensional planet.
6. ViC, S It is small amount of time. When the group travels to the other planets, Mrs.
Whatsit explains that the amount of time on Earth is different then the amount of time spent
on other planets. She explains that when they arrive back on Earth, it will be about five
minutes before they left, so it will appear as if they were never gone.
7. ViC, S It is a way to travel through space and time by taking a shortcut. It allows for very
fast travel. It is the fifth dimension that allows for the quickest travel between two points that is
not a line.
8. C/E, P It can be overcome by good. Since the Dark Thing represents evil, anything that
is good can help to overcome it. Pride, confidence, light, determination, and creativity will help
to defeat the Dark Thing.
9. ViC
It meant that she is reminding Meg that her faults or the things that she does not
like about herself will come in handy when she is on Camazotz and trying to rescue her
father. Everyone on Camazotz acts perfectly and in an orderly way. Meg’s faults or
imperfections make her unique and will help her to save her father.
10. C a.Impatience
Setting Details, p. 12
Lesson 2 Independent Practice
Same:
• Camazotz has trees that Earth has (birch, pine, and maple trees).
• There are smokestacks on Camazotz and it looks like a town on Earth.
• There are houses with flowers planted by them on Camazotz, just like on Earth.
Different:
• The Medium’s planet is described as gray. Earth can be gray, but is not gray all the time.
• All of the homes look exactly alike on Camazotz. On Earth, there are many different types
of homes.
• All of the people on Camazotz do the exact same thing at the exact same time. They all
look alike. On Earth, people are unique in the way the act and look.
3
© 2010 Urban Education Exchange. All rights reserved
CONCEPTS OF COMPREHENSION: A WRINKLE IN TIME 6TH GRADE UNIT
Student Packet Answer Key
•
On Camazotz, there is never any trouble. On Earth, people get into accidents or go to jail
for wrongdoings.
Vocabulary Activity: Have You Ever?, p. 13
Chapter 7: “The Man with Red Eyes” — Chapter 9: “IT”
1. No, I would not want to have a dog that snarls at people because the dog would scare
the people away. People would not want to go near my dog.
2. I would not like it if I went to school and it was vacant. There would be no one to talk to
and it would be very difficult to learn on my own.
3. No, I would not want to be known for my tenacity because it would show that people
thought of me as being stubborn.
4. My sister spoke to my mother in a pedantic voice when my mother told her that she had
to clean up her room.
5. When I was running the race for the school championships, I was inexorable. Everyone
else was 10 seconds behind me.
6. I acted brusquely towards my sister when she borrowed my favorite shirt without asking
for my permission.
7. No, I would not want to be around something that made me feel ominous because it
would scare me and I would not want to stay around to witness what possibly would happen.
Comprehension Questions, pp. 14-15
Chapter 7: “The Man with Red Eyes” — Chapter 9: “IT”
1. C/E, P The Dark Thing told him that he was smart. He also thought that he could
somehow break him down and thought it was the only way that he could get to his father. He
was very upset about how the Dark Thing was treating them and wanted to defeat him.
2. V, S
a. Fear
3. Th, S b. Control
4. ViC
b. Kill
5. P, C/E IT wants to establish conformity to help prevent war and unhappiness.
6. C
Lead the group to Mr. Murry, wave his hands to make a wall disappear, and lead
the group to a pulsing building with that has a large brain on a table.
7. P, Th d. All of the above
8. DC
On Camazotz, just because everyone did the same thing and were controlled
and alike, it did not allow for equality since they were not allowed to make their own
decisions.
9. Co/Co, S It was very scary for Meg. Her father did not have much experience with
tessering. She felt like her body was being torn apart and was in a lot of pain.
10. P Meg acted stubbornly and concentrated on other things like shouting out the periodic
table or thinking about the answers to math facts.
Symbols Brainstorm, p. 16
Lesson 3 Independent Practice
1. Meg: Cares about her family and her father. She feels like she does not fit in at school.
She is willing to try and defeat IT so that her father and brother can be saved.
Calvin: He is a very smart teenager and is very successful at school.
Charles Wallace: Very young (about 4-5 years old), but very smart. He does not show
off his intelligence. He cares for his sister and family. Willing to try and conquer the Man
with the Red Eyes so that he can help his father.
2. Meg: love for others; being different and unique; being good
Calvin: being different and unique
Charles Wallace: being different and unique; love for others
4
© 2010 Urban Education Exchange. All rights reserved
CONCEPTS OF COMPREHENSION: A WRINKLE IN TIME 6TH GRADE UNIT
Student Packet Answer Key
Vocabulary Activity: Four Square, pp. 17-18
Chapter 10: “Absolute Zero” — Chapter 12: “The Foolish and the Weak”
1. Definition: Easily broken, snapped, or cracked; Examples: Dried flowers, glass, finger nails; Nonexamples: A thick piece of wood, metal
2. Definition: Not enough or not good enough; Examples: Having only a drop of water when
very thirsty, not having enough money to buy something; Non-examples: Coming in first in a
race, getting praise for something that you have written
3. Definition: Joyfully enthusiastic; Examples: A person who has won the lottery, a person
who enters their surprise party; Non-examples: Getting a bad grade, forgetting your
homework
4. Definition: Feeling nervous or scared; Examples: Going to a haunted house, going on a
roller coaster, starting the first day of school; Non-examples: Listening to peaceful music,
feeling relaxed on vacation
5. Definition: Spreading throughout the room; Examples: The scent of flowers, the scent of
fresh-baked bread; Non-examples: An empty glass, eating all the food and not sharing
6. Definition: Feeling very fearful and worried; Examples: Staying home alone for the first
time at night, not knowing if a sick relative will get better; Non-examples: Spending time with
friends and family
Comprehension Questions, pp. 19-20
Chapter 10: “Absolute Zero” — Chapter 12: “The Foolish and the Weak”
1. F/O
Yes, because if they did not Tesser, IT may have taken control of Mr. Murry, Meg, and
Calvin. Tessering also allowed them to escape Camazotz. No, because they left Charles Wallace on
Camazotz in control of IT. They also did not know what would happen to them or where they would
land when they tessered.
2. Th
d. Evil
3. Co/Co, S Camazotz is very orderly and controlled by IT. All the homes are in rows and
everyone does the same thing at the exact same time. Ixchel is very rusty, cold, and gray.
There are brown flowers and plants. The air smells very pretty and a soft breeze blows. The
food has no color but tastes delicious. There are soft, kind, beast-like creatures on the planet.
4. Th
b. Love and Kindness
5. DC Meg is very worried about Charles Wallace. She also thought that her father would
be able to help out more and rescue Charles from IT.
6. C/E, C The Beasts have different senses and ways of communicating then humans.
They cannot see and rely largely on their sense of smell and touch rather then sight.
7. ViC b. Win
8. EI, P c. Love, A Blessing, and Something that IT does not have
9. SEQ c. The Mrs. W’s give Meg gifts.
10. P
Before leaving for Camazotz, she apologized to him, and explained that she was
only blaming him for Charles being controlled by IT because she was hoping that her father
would take care of the problem. She also said that she misbehaved because she was scared.
Plot Conflict Worksheet, p. 21
Lesson 4 Independent Practice
Details of the Conflict: IT is trying to gain control of Meg. Meg is led to IT by Charles Wallace.
Meg feels a steady pulsing when she goes into the building where IT is. She starts to feel like the
beating of her heart beats in time to the pulsing of IT. Meg tries not to be controlled by IT by
shouting out the Declaration of Independence, the periodic table, and square roots, but she starts to
loose control. Later, while on Ixchel, Meg realizes that she has to rescue Charles Wallace from IT.
At what point in the book was this conflict resolved?: Calvin realizes that Meg is loosing control
and that IT is going to win the conflict. He says that they all need to tesser to get away from IT and
IT’s control. Mr. Murry grabs Meg and they tesser to Ixchel. Once Meg tessers back to Camazotz,
she realizes that her love is the one thing that IT does not have. Once she realizes this, Charles
Wallace is no longer controlled by IT and they tesser back to Earth.
5
© 2010 Urban Education Exchange. All rights reserved
CONCEPTS OF COMPREHENSION: A WRINKLE IN TIME 6TH GRADE UNIT
Student Packet Answer Key
What events led to the resolution?: Meg realizes that she has the power within herself to get
Charles Wallace back and that IT cannot control her. Once she realizes she has love and IT does
not, it leads to IT loosing control.
Thinking about Theme, p. 22
Lesson 5 Independent Practice
How the conflict between Meg and IT was resolved: Meg realizes that her love is the one thing
that IT does not have. Once she realizes this, Charles Wallace is no longer controlled by IT and the
entire family tessers back to Earth.
Theme or author’s message: “Good always prevails over evil.” or “Love can save the day.”
6
© 2010 Urban Education Exchange. All rights reserved
CONCEPTS OF COMPREHENSION: A WRINKLE IN TIME 6TH GRADE UNIT
Unit Assessment
Name: _______________________________
Date: ________________
Sixth Grade Science Fiction Unit Assessment
A Wrinkle in Time
Directions: Read each question, circle the correct answer, or respond by writing
complete sentences.
1. Describe Meg’s attic bedroom. What was she afraid of?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
2. Why did Mrs. Murry go white when Mrs. Whatsit mentioned a tesseract?
a. She didn’t know what a tesseract was.
b. She was stunned that Mrs. Whatsit knew about the tesseract.
c. She got sick from the sandwich.
d. She wanted Mrs. Whatsit to leave.
3. How does Meg feel about herself? Use text details to support your answer.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
4.
What did Mr. Jenkins mean when he told Meg to “face facts” about her father?
a. She should realize he wasn’t returning home.
b. She should realize he had died.
c. She should realize her mother had lied.
d. She should realize her mother didn’t face facts.
1
© 2010 Urban Education Exchange. All rights reserved
CONCEPTS OF COMPREHENSION: A WRINKLE IN TIME 6TH GRADE UNIT
Unit Assessment
5.
Why did Charles Wallace want to visit Mrs. Whatsit’s home?
a. He wanted to find out about the tesseract and why it upset his mother.
b. He wanted to warn her that someone might find out they had broken
into the haunted house.
c. He wanted to tell her about Calvin.
d. Both A and B.
6.
Why did the author choose to include sayings and phrases in other languages?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
7.
How does Calvin feel about Meg? Use evidence from the text to support your
answer.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
8. Describe the creature that Mrs. Whatsit became. What do you think the creature
could symbolize?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
9.
Which one of these is not a science fiction element explored in the book?
a. Space travel
b. Time travel
c. Technology
d. New societies
2
© 2010 Urban Education Exchange. All rights reserved
CONCEPTS OF COMPREHENSION: A WRINKLE IN TIME 6TH GRADE UNIT
Unit Assessment
10. Why was it important for the children to visit the Happy Medium?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
11. All of the following characters symbolize goodness and love except:
a. Mrs. Whatsit
b. Meg
c. The Man with the Red Eyes
d. Mr. Murry
12. Which of the following is an example that supports the theme, “good always
prevails over evil?”
a. Meg uses her love for Charles Wallace to save him.
b. Aunt Beast helps Meg’s anger towards her father fade away.
c. Charles Wallace moved away from IT and ran to Meg.
d. All of the above.
13. Compare and contrast Camazotz with Meg’s neighborhood.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
3
© 2010 Urban Education Exchange. All rights reserved
CONCEPTS OF COMPREHENSION: A WRINKLE IN TIME 6TH GRADE UNIT
Unit Assessment
14. Describe a conflict in the book and explain why one character prevails over
another.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
15. Why was Mr. Murry imprisoned in the translucent column?
a. He took a wrong turn with the tesseract.
b. He couldn’t see how to get out.
c. He refused IT’s powers.
d. He voluntarily stayed there to get some rest.
16. Why was Meg angry at her father?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
17. Mr. Murry tells Calvin that “we know nothing. We’re children playing with dynamite.”
What does he mean by this?
a. Humans know everything about time travel.
b. Humans are dangerously experimenting with time travel.
c. Humans should continue to tesseract.
d. None of the above.
18. How has Meg changed from the beginning to the end of the story?
a. Meg realizes that she is more special than Charles Wallace.
b. Meg realizes that her parents really love each other.
c. Meg realizes that she has the ability to succeed.
d. Meg realizes that evil powers are stronger than love.
4
© 2010 Urban Education Exchange. All rights reserved
CONCEPTS OF COMPREHENSION: A WRINKLE IN TIME 6TH GRADE UNIT
Unit Assessment
19. Think about the planets that Meg, Charles Wallace, Calvin, Mr. Murry, and the Mrs.
W’s visited in the story. Which planet would you want to live on? Explain. How does
the planet that you chose compare to Earth?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
5
© 2010 Urban Education Exchange. All rights reserved
CONCEPTS OF COMPREHENSION: A WRINKLE IN TIME 6TH GRADE UNIT
Unit Assessment
20. Write a summary of A Wrinkle in Time, being sure to properly include the following
words in your summary: dilapidated, metamorphose, inhabitants, transparent,
oppressive, absorbed, acknowledged.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
6
© 2010 Urban Education Exchange. All rights reserved
CONCEPTS OF COMPREHENSION: A WRINKLE IN TIME 6TH GRADE UNIT
Unit Assessment Answers
1.
Meg’s bedroom was a small room in the attic of her home. The windows rattled and it was dark.
She slept on a rickety brass bed and had a wardrobe mirror in her room. The bedroom had wide wooden
floorboards that were cold. She could hear the wind howling through the chimney. Meg was afraid of the
storm outside and of being left alone in the attic. She was afraid that the roof would be ripped off the
house and she would be tossed into the wind. She was also afraid of things going wrong for her,
especially in school.
2.
b.
She was stunned that Mrs. Whatsit knew about the tesseract.
3.
Meg is unhappy with herself and she feels like a failure because she believes she does everything
wrong. Meg says she is a delinquent and she wishes she could hide her feelings like her mother. Meg
tells the kitten that it should be glad it isn’t a monster like her, which means Meg thinks she’s a monster
because of her glasses, mouse-brown hair, and braces.
4.
a.
She should realize he wasn’t returning home.
5.
d.
Both A and B.
6.
The author included sayings and phrases in other languages to develop Mrs. Who’s character and
to introduce themes or messages into the book. The quotes L’Engle used come from famous or influential
people in history who are associated with goodness and hope. This shows that people throughout time
have been fighting against evil and have helped mankind.
7.
Calvin likes Meg and is happy he met her so they can become friends. Calvin might even have a
crush on Meg because he walks close to her as they walk back to the Murry’s house from visiting the Mrs.
W’s. When Meg and Calvin were talking about her father, Calvin compliments Meg that she has dreamboat eyes. This shows that Calvin likes Meg and thinks she is beautiful.
8.
Mrs. Whatsit transforms into a marble white body with powerful flanks, something almost like a
horse or a Greek centaur. Her head resembles a man’s head but with dignity, virtue, and joy. The
creature had a pair of wings made of rainbows. This creature could symbolize strength because of its
strong body, and hope and peace because of the rainbow.
9.
c.
Technology
10. It was important for the children to visit the Happy Medium to see how Earth could be taken over by
the Dark Thing. The children had to understand that the darkness and evil has troubled the planet for so
long, but that some people spent their lives fighting against evil—including Meg’s father. They needed to
see that the Dark Thing was being fought and overcome, and that they will need to be strong to overcome
and fight the Dark Thing and save their father. The visit to the Happy Medium was to prepare the children
for the hard work that was ahead of them.
11.
c.
The Man with the Red Eyes.
12.
d.
All of the above.
13. Camazotz and Meg’s neighborhood on Earth were similar because the hills and trees looked the
same, and it felt like autumn. From a distance, the towns on Camazotz looked like the towns on Earth
with people, children, homes, and buildings. In contrast, everything in Camazotz was exactly alike, unlike
on Earth where homes all look different. The colors on Camazotz were dull, unlike on Earth where colors
are bright. As on Earth, children played in the neighborhoods with jump ropes and balls; but on Camazotz
all the children played in exactly the same manner and with the same rhythm. Everything on Camazotz
was identical, including the houses, paths, flowers, and actions, movements, and thoughts of the people.
14. Character vs. Character conflict between Meg and IT. Meg prevails over IT because she realizes
that she is the only one who can save her brother since she possesses something that IT doesn’t have—
1
© 2010 Urban Education Exchange. All rights reserved
CONCEPTS OF COMPREHENSION: A WRINKLE IN TIME 6TH GRADE UNIT
Unit Assessment Answers
love. When Meg uses her absolute love for her brother to save him, Charles Wallace is able to break free
from IT’s power and runs to his sister. Meg prevails over the evil IT because good always prevails over
evil.
15.
c.
He refused IT’s powers.
16. Meg was angry at her father for leaving their family on Earth, and then for leaving Charles Wallace
behind and under the power of IT. Meg thought that by finding her father, he would be able to fix
everything, and when she realized that he was not perfect and not able to solve every problem, she
became angry at him.
17.
b.
Humans are dangerously experimenting with time travel.
18.
c.
Meg realizes that she has the ability to succeed.
19. Camazotz: Similar to Earth in that there are people, houses, and children that play ball. The
landscape is similar to Earth in that there are trees, sky, and rocks. It is different from Earth in that all the
people do the exact same things at the exact same time.
Uriel: Similar to Earth because it has fields of grass, clouds, flowers, gardens, and a moon. Different from
Earth because unusual creatures live on the planet who have their own singing language
Two-dimensional planet: Different from Earth because humans have a hard time breathing and become
flat. It is hard for them to move around.
Ixchel: Different from Earth because it is always foggy and gray. Both Ixchel and Earth have rocks. The
land on Ixchel is completely flat, while only some parts of the land on Earth are flat. There is no vegetation
on Ixchel, while Earth has many different types of vegetation.
20. Answers will vary, but a typical answer is as follows: A Wrinkle in Time is a book about how love,
hope, and goodness can conquer evil. The Murry family had lost their father due to a science experiment,
and he had disappeared from the family. The Murry children, Meg and Charles Wallace, went on a quest
to find their father and bring him back home. The children visited three characters/witches that lived in a
dilapidated haunted house where they prepared to take the children to see and save their father. When
the children and the Mrs. W’s tesseract onto the planet of Uriel, Mrs. Whatsit metamorphoses into a
creature that resembles a horse or a centaur. The creature takes Meg, Charles Wallace, and their friend
Calvin to visit a Happy Medium, who prepares the children for what they will encounter with the Dark
Thing. As the children travel to Uriel and other planets, they meet strange inhabitants who are different
from the inhabitants on Earth. On Camazotz, they meet people who are being controlled by IT and who
do and think everything in the same way. As the children continue to look for their father with the help of
the Mrs. W’s, they must conquer the evil forces of IT. IT’s powers are evil and oppressive, and it is difficult
for the children to not get taken in by IT’s thoughts. Charles Wallace believes he can overcome IT, but
instead he is taken over by the dark power. Meg continues to fight the power of IT and she reaches her
father who is imprisoned in a transparent column. Meg can see into the column and enters it. Once inside
the column, she can see her father, but he can’t see her and he can’t see outside the column. Meg gives
her father spectacles and he is able to see Meg and see beyond the column. He leaves the column and
goes off to save Charles Wallace. Meg and her father, with the help of beastly creatures and the Mrs. Ws,
realize that Meg is the only one who can save Charles Wallace from being completely absorbed by IT.
Even though Meg had doubts about herself and her abilities, she finally acknowledged that she has the
power to help her family. Meg uses her love for her brother to save him from the grasp of IT. Finally, the
family is reunited at the Murry home and Mrs. Murry and the twins never realized Meg and Charles
Wallace had traveled through time. They didn’t realize how long they had been missing in order to find Mr.
Murry.
2
© 2010 Urban Education Exchange. All rights reserved
CONCEPTS OF COMPREHENSION: A WRINKLE IN TIME 6TH GRADE UNIT
Unit Assessment Answers
Unit Assessment Analysis
Use the Unit Assessment Answers to mark each student’s assessment. Then refer to
the following table to formally assess your students’ performance on their Unit
Assessment. The table shows how each question is aligned to the concepts in this
Unit. If a student gets question 1 wrong on the assessment, you will know that this
student may benefit from a re-teaching of Setting, since question 1 is a Setting question.
Use the table to pinpoint what Concepts your students need additional practice with.
S
Question
Number
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
EI
G
C/E
Concepts
P
FL
C
X
AP
TH
Co/
Co
ViC
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
3
© 2010 Urban Education Exchange. All rights reserved
CONCEPTS OF COMPREHENSION: A WRINKLE IN TIME 6TH GRADE UNIT
Unit Assessment Answers
Use the following table to find the questions that are specifically aligned to the lessons
and learning outcomes for the unit.
Question
8
Lesson(s)
Genre Lesson
and Lesson 3
Learning Outcome(s)
Students will be able to identify scientific, futuristic,
and/or out of the ordinary elements of science fiction.
Students will be able to interpret the meaning of a
symbol in a work of science fiction.
9
Genre Lesson
Students will be able to identify scientific, futuristic,
and/or out of the ordinary elements of science fiction.
11
Lesson 3
Students will be able to interpret the meaning of a
symbol in a work of science fiction.
12
Lesson 5
Students will be able to use the plot resolution to explain
a theme in a science fiction novel.
14
Lesson 4
Students will be able to explain how a plot conflict is
resolved.
19
Lesson 2
Students will be able to compare and contrast the setting
in a science fiction text with their world.
20
Lesson 1
Students will be able to determine the meaning of
unknown words in a science fiction text.
4
© 2010 Urban Education Exchange. All rights reserved