Guided Reading
Grade 4
Purpose
The purpose of Guided Reading is to help each student, regardless of his or her entry
reading level, develop reading strategies so that increasingly difficult texts can be read
independently.
Goal
Our goal is accelerated progress for our lowest achieving readers, continuous progress for
our average achieving readers, and challenge and extension for our highest achieving
readers.
Materials
A range of books (four to six titles) representing four to six readability levels has been
selected for each grade level reflecting a common theme. The number of themes varies
from grade level to grade level. Students are assigned these or other supplementary books
that they can read independently with 90-94% accuracy.
Instructional Model
Students are grouped according to instructional reading levels. Teachers meet with a small
group of students for twenty minutes or more while the remainder of the class is working on
independent activities. These independent activities include, but are not limited to,
centers, independent projects across the curriculum, journal writing, Literature Circles, or
reading/writing skills related to Guided or Shared Reading. The lowest achieving readers
meet with the teacher every day. Average and higher achieving readers may meet every day
or on another appropriate timeline. It is expected that teachers will meet with a minimum of
two groups each day.
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Guided Reading
The following themes are not listed in sequential order. You are encouraged to use the materials in any
sequence that meets the interests of the students, the range of readability levels in your class, or in
support of other curricular areas. For example, the set of books on “Acceptance” might be used at the
beginning of the year to foster community building. There is a graphic organizer for Sharing the Theme
at the beginning of each theme set. Each student or Guided Reading group should fill this out in
preparation for a discussion of the theme’s Guiding Questions, which lead to the Generalizations or
Essential Understandings for students.
Materials from other grade levels should be chosen for those students who are unable to
read the following Guided Reading books with 90-94% accuracy independently.
Level
Theme
The Paint Brush Kid
Because of Winn-Dixie
Junebug
The Gold Cadillac
War With Grandpa
Daphne’s Book
Title
Bulla
DiCamillo
Mead
Taylor
Kimmel Smith
Hahn
34
44
44
46
46
54
Acceptance
Acceptance
Acceptance
Acceptance
Acceptance
Acceptance
Shadow of the Wolf
Stone Fox
Snow Treasure
My Louisiana Sky
To be decided
Walk Two Moons
Whelan
Gardiner
McSwigan
Holt
38
38
44
48
Creech
58
Decisions
Decisions
Decisions
Decisions
Decisions
Decisions
Junie B. Jones Is Captain Field Day
Amber Brown Goes Fourth
Class Clown
Hey, New Kid
Mr. Popper’s Penguins
Skinnybones
Park
Danziger
Hurwitz
Duffey
Atwater
Park
16
30
34
34
40
44
Humor
Humor
Humor
Humor
Humor
Humor
The True Story of Pocohantas
Christa McAuliffe: Teacher in Space
Mark Twain: Young Writer
Rachel Carson: Pioneer of Ecology
John James Audubon: Wildlife Artist
Sacagawea
Panner
Naden & Blue
Mason
Kudlinski
Anderson
St. George
28
40
40
48
Biography
Biography
Biography
Biography
Biography
Biography
The Boxcar Children and Surprise Island
Key to the Treasure
Three Investigators in the Mystery of the Vanishing
Treasury
Mission: Mayhem
Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief
Time for Andrew: A Ghost Story
Warner
Parish
Arthur
34
34
46
Mystery
Mystery
Mystery
Dixon
VanDraanen
Hahn
50
54
58
Mystery
Mystery
Mystery
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Will’s Choice
Grasshopper Summer
Little House in the Big Woods
Mr. Tucket
Addie Across the Wide and Lonesome Prairie
Bound for Oregon
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Nixon
Turner
Wilder
Paulsen
Gregory
VanLeeuwen
4
30
40
40
48
54
58
Westward Expansion
Westward Expansion
Westward Expansion
Westward Expansion
Westward Expansion
Westward Expansion
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Skills and Graphic Organizers
For Guided Reading Selections
Title
Level
The Paint Brush Kid
Because of Winn-Dixie
Junebug
The Gold Cadillac
War With Grandpa
Daphne’s Book
34
44
44
46
46
54
Shadow of the Wolf
Stone Fox
Snow Treasure
My Louisiana Sky
To be decided
Walk Two Moons
38
38
44
48
Junie B. Jones Is Captain Field Day
Amber Brown Goes Fourth
Class Clown
Hey, New Kid
Mr. Popper’s Penguins
Skinnybones
16
30
34
34
40
44
The True Story of Pocohantas
Christa McAuliffe: Teacher in Space
Mark Twain: Young Writer
Rachel Carson: Pioneer of Ecology
John James Audubon: Wildlife Artist
Sacagawea
28
40
40
48
The Boxcar Children and Surprise
Island
Key to the Treasure
Three Investigators in the Mystery of the
Vanishing Treasurer
Mission: Mayhem
Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief
Time for Andrew: A Ghost Story
34
Will’s Choice
Grasshopper Summer
Little House in the Big Woods
Mr. Tucket
Addie Across the Wide and Lonesome
Prairie
Bound for Oregon
30
40
40
48
54
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Skills
Graphic Organizers
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34
46
50
54
58
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Guided Reading
Overview
Step 1
Gather data about the reading achievements of the students in your class.
Achievement information includes reading assessment scores from the previous year, the
beginning-of-the-year Basic Reading Inventory, portfolio information, leveling information
from last year’s teacher, or information from the reading teacher. You may also want to
listen to each of your students read aloud informally, or assess individuals (particularly new
students or those students whose assessment information is conflicting) with a fluency
check and retelling. Your reading teacher can show you how to do this kind of assessment.
For students who are reading way below grade level, take a Running Record (See your
reading teacher for information on how to administer this assessment or refer to chapter
seven in Guided Reading by Irene C. Fountas and Gay Su Pinnell. Copies of this book are
available in each building from the reading teacher.).
Step 2
Assign the students in the class to small groups according to their instructional
level.
Instructional level is defined as that level at which the student can read 90-94% of the text
independently. There is no optimum number of groups. However, there should be no more
than 5-6 students in a group. It is likely that four groups may emerge: (1) a group of
emergent literacy learners; (2) a group of early literacy learners; (3) a group of independent
literacy learners (grade level); and (4) an advanced group of literacy learners. These
groups are not meant to describe or define specific grade level or age level standards, but
rather the range of expected achievement in any classroom, grades K-5. Exceptional
education students must be assigned to an appropriate group unless they are selfcontained special education students.
Step 3
Assign the books for each group.
Selecting materials is critical for the successful progress of each student and is the
responsibility of the teacher. This is not self-selected reading. If you are using one of the
class themes designated for your grade level, you will need to decide if the range of books
in that Guided Reading set is appropriate for the groups in your class. If not, you will need
to check with the curriculum library in your school, your media specialist, the public library,
or the AEA to see if other titles with a better readability match to the students in your class
are available. Additional titles that support the theme for students to read during
independent work time as Self-selected Reading enrich the unit and add choice for student
reading. If there is not a book at the group’s instructional level that supports the
theme, choose the appropriate leveled book rather than have the students read at an
inappropriate level.
Some questions to consider suggested by Fountas and Pinnell (Guided Readers and
Writers, 2001, page 224) include:
• In what topics or content areas will students need more support in reading?
• What topics or content areas especially interest the readers?
• What is the quantity/quality of students’ reading vocabulary?
• What kinds of words do students solve quickly, with understanding, while reading
text? Cause difficulty in decoding or understanding?
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•
•
•
•
•
•
•
What kinds of language structures are easy for students to process and what kinds
of structures are difficult?
What kinds of settings or plots will students find easy/hard to understand?
What kinds of texts do students find easy/difficult to interpret and extend?
What kinds of connections do they tend to make as they read texts—
personal/emotional, literary?
Are other words accessible through students’ current abilities to use strategies such
as word analysis and prediction from language structure or meaning?
Does the text offer a few opportunities to problem-solve, search, and check while
reading for meaning?
Is the length of text appropriate for the experience and stamina of the group?
Step 4
Plan instructional time.
Read each group’s book. Plan the approximate length of time it will take each group to
read their assigned book by predicting how many pages each group will be able to read
comfortably in daily fifteen-minute segments. Suggested sections (chapters or pages) are
included in the curriculum guide. It is likely that groups will not finish books at the same
time, i.e., the lowest level will most likely be reading shorter books. The teacher must then
decide whether it would be appropriate to have the students read the next book in the set or
whether to have them read a different title, perhaps not relating to the theme, but
instructionally appropriate.
Step 5
Plan introductions carefully.
Story introductions help the readers organize their prior knowledge so they are “ready” for
the information presented in the text. According to Fountas and Pinnell (2001, pgs. 230231), “A text introduction is an easy, conversational exchange that makes a text accessible
to readers.” Rich introductions will make more challenging texts accessible to a group of
students. At other times the teacher may need to provide only a short, focused introduction
or “a few moves to increase accessibility of a new text” (Clay 1991b, p. 272). Fountas and
Pinnell recommend that teachers make notes to remind them of the important ideas that
need to be mentioned. Some suggestions include (2001, p. 231):
• One or two sentences about the main idea of the book
• Page numbers of illustrations that you can use to discuss concepts (If a book has no
page numbers, take a pen and quickly number them, because you will need to refer
students to specific pages.)
• Vocabulary that you want to use in conversation and/or explicitly define as you
provide the introduction (See Curriculum Guide.)
• Words that might be difficult for readers to solve that you might want to call
attention to in the text or write on the board (See Curriculum Guide.)
• Information about the author, illustrator, or genre
• Processing strategies that you want to reinforce
• Something special about the text features that you want to make accessible to
readers
• The number of pages you want the students to read in this time period
• What you want the readers to do when they finish the assigned reading
“‘Leave the children with one or two clear questions that will drive them into the text and
serve as a continuing impulse to seek meaning when they read’ (Holdaway 1979, p. 143).”
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When you introduce a text, you:
• Engage the attention of the students and draw them into the activity.
• Help them explore and access their knowledge.
• Help them attend to critical features of the text.
• Anticipate the features that may be difficult.
• Make problem solving easier for them.
Introductions are extremely important in Guided Reading and take different forms for different
levels of readers. The following chart from Guided Reading by Irene C. Fountas and Gay Su
Pinnell (1996, p. 178) describes how introductions might look at various levels.
Emergent Readers
Early Readers
The introduction
• is rich, providing
children with language
and patterns of the
book
The introduction
• ranges from fully
covering the book to
just providing a brief
overview before
reading
• focuses on particular
words by locating
them
The introduction
• may involve brief
support that enables
independent reading
of the text
The introduction
• may be provocative in
terms of arousing
interest or questions
in the reader’s mind
• may include less detail
• may be geared to
• introduces unfamiliar
language structures
• familiarizes readers
• may draw attention to
frequently used words
• covers the whole book
• as a transition from
shared reading, may
include a complete
reading by the teacher,
with children joining
in, before children read
on their own
• provides a strong
support for meaning
Transitional
Readers
but continues to
provide a good
framework for reading
with new concepts,
particular vocabulary
words, and unusual
language structures
• assures that students
are tuned in to the
meaning of the
selection
Self-extending
Readers
helping children notice
aspects of text or
understand the
structure of different
genres
• may build an
understanding of the
importance of
previewing a text
before reading
• has the goal of
enabling children to
introduce books to
themselves
To help the book introduction process, a short synopsis of the story, chapter, or “section” of the
story to be presented each day is included in this guide. Just below the synopsis are some Key
Concepts and Vocabulary. You may use this information as a guide, or, after reading the
selection to prepare for the introduction, may decide to use other ideas that the students in the
class need to develop understanding and background knowledge. See the section in Guiding
Readers and Writers: Grades 3-6 (2001, pgs. 233-247), “Examples of Text Introductions,”
for additional instruction and specific examples.
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Step 6
Anticipate skill instruction for the group.
Skill work is determined as students encounter difficulties with the selection or is based on
your knowledge of the students’ needs. However, some books naturally lend themselves to
teaching certain skills. Because the readings are at an instructional level, this is a good time
to reinforce both word analysis and comprehension skills in simple, direct mini-lessons.
Vocabulary development is a priority through introductions and discussions of content.
Vocabulary words are listed for each section of the book. During the introduction, be
certain to mention names of people and places. You will probably need to write them on a
chalkboard or white board for “needs” and “meets” kids to see before they get into the text.
Proper nouns are often troublesome for less-efficient readers. General word analysis skills,
which would be appropriate to teach in the context of the book, are listed at the end of
some of the selections. The words listed under the various word analysis categories are
found in the book for which they are listed. Most of the instruction during Guided Reading
is based on the teacher’s observations as students read aloud or discuss the story. As you
listen to a student read, note errors. These errors are the springboard for mini-lessons (3-5
minutes), either at the end of the session or the beginning of the next.
Assessment
Comprehension suggestions are also given at the end for some books. These may be done
through discussion during Guided Reading time or may be used for independent work while
other students have Guided Reading with you. Some are intended to be ongoing throughout
the book; others are appropriate for end-of-the-book assessment. Some graphic organizers
are included; others are available in the Graphic Organizer binder.
Writing
Written responses related to the reading assignment are excellent independent work
activities, either ongoing throughout the book or as an end-of-the-book assessment. Some
questions could require a one-page essay to answer while others may be answered with
only one sentence. Establish your criteria (rubric) before you give the assignment. Some
examples are included. Having students defend their responses with quotes from the book
or specific examples is a more sophisticated task than simply a “pat” answer.
Step 7
Teach the following strategies as described in “Reciprocal Teaching Improves Standardized
Reading-Comprehension Performance in Poor Comprehenders” in The Elementary School
Journal (Lysynchuk, Pressley, and Vye, May 1990) to help students become independent
readers:
1. Predicting - involves finding clues in the structure and content of the story that
might suggest what would happen next
• Readers think about what they already know and compare it with what they have
already learned in the story. This motivates reading the story to determine if
predictions are correct.
• Students are told to use the title to make initial predictions and use clues in the story
to make predictions as reading proceeds.
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2. Summarizing - includes one or two sentences that tell the most important
ideas. A good summary does not include details or information that are not
important
• It can aid understanding and memory of what is read.
• Students are told to think of what the paragraph is mostly about and to construct a
sentence that reflects the most important information in the paragraph.
3. Clarifying - discerns when there is a breakdown in comprehension and taking
steps to restore meaning
• It is important for students to know at what point the story no longer makes sense
to them.
• Students are instructed to be alert to occasions when they do not understand the
meaning of text and to process text additionally when there are problems. For
instance, if a word does not make sense, students are told to try to discover the
meaning of the word by reading sentences before and after it. Sometimes “or”
signals the meaning of an unfamiliar word. Students are instructed to be certain
they know what referents such as “them,” “it,” and “they” refer to. If, after
rereading, something is still not clear, students are instructed to ask for assistance.
4. Questioning - asks about important information in the text rather than about
unimportant details
• Readers can self-test to determine whether they really understand the text.
• By asking questions, readers must identify what is important in a story.
• Students are told to select important information from text and use the words
“who,” “where,” “when,” “why,” “what,” and “how” to make up questions.
• When “trying” an unfamiliar word…
⇒ Does that make sense?
⇒ Does that sound right?
⇒ Does what I’ve “read” match the letter sounds I see or the word parts I know?
Posters for these Reciprocal Teaching skills are on the next few pages. Once students
have been instructed in how to do each of these four components, they can become the
daily assignment for students to complete during their independent work time. When
students come to the Guided Reading group, randomly select one of the students to
“summarize” what happened in the section the group was assigned to read; ask another to
ask a question from the section of the group; and another might be asked to read his or her
prediction for what will happen next.
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Strategies for
Reading Successfully
Predict
Think about what will happen in the
story or what you may learn.
Question
Think of a question to ask after
reading for others to answer.
Clarify
Think about words or phrases you
read that were not clear, that you did
not understand.
Summarize
Think about what you read and tell
the others in two or three sentences.
These may be done in any order.
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Making Predictions While We Read
Good readers make predictions as they read. These predictions are guesses about what will happen
next in the story, how the author will resolve a problem, what the characters will do or say, or what
information will be given that can answer a question the reader has. Good guesses are those which
readers make using what they already know about the sense of story, the topic, or previous
experiences when reading. When predicting, readers use the following clues:
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
illustrations
the title
chapter or section headings
previous knowledge
facts and ideas from the text
new information
validating or changing previous predictions
Discuss the following questions with the students. Remind them as needed to use these strategies.
1. What are some of the ways to predict?
2. What clues does an author give us to help us make our predictions?
3. Why are some predictions more likely to be true than others?
4. How do sophisticated readers think and predict?
A prediction chart can help improve predicting skills. Students record their predictions for each
chapter or section of a book. As each subsequent chapter is read and discussed, students review
and correct previous predictions. This procedure helps students focus on predictions and to review
the stories.
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Prediction Chart
Name _____________________________________
Answer the following questions at the end of each chapter or section of the text.
What characters
have been met?
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What is the
conflict in the story?
What are
your predictions?
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Why did you make
those predictions?
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Summarizing Text
1. Start simply. Use easy material.
2. Provide direct instruction, i.e., teach students how to summarize. The
following six steps have been used in research with students of various
ages.
Step 1.
Delete trivial material.
Step 2.
Delete material that is important but redundant.
Step 3.
Substitute superordinate terms for a list of items or actions.
If the text has a list of animals (cats, dogs, goldfish, gerbils,
parrots), substitute the term pets.
Step 4.
Similarly, substitute a superordinate action as John went to
London, for a list of subcomponents of that action, e.g., John
left the house. John bought a ticket.
Step 5.
Select a topic sentence for each paragraph.
Step 6.
If there isn’t a topic sentence, invent your own.
3. Provide feedback about the reader’s effectiveness of summarization.
4. Provide direct instruction about where and when to use the strategy.
5. Provide training, lots of practice in many types of materials (stories,
different content subjects of varying lengths and complexity).
From: “Learning to Learn: On Training Students to Learn From Texts” by Ann Brown, Joseph
Campione, and Jeanne Day, Technical Report 189 from the Center for the Study of Reading in
Champaign, Illinois.
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Clarify
When you clarify, you reread or think about words and
information that were not clear to you—which you did not
understand.
When you come to a word you don’t know:
è Read to the end of the sentence.
Try a word you think makes sense. Then check to see if
the sounds you say in the word match the letters you see
in the word.
∃
Look for word parts you know.
Say the part you know aloud. Think about the rest of
the words in the sentence. Does the part you know make
a connection to any of the other words in the sentence?
Remember to look for beginnings and endings that you
can take off easily like ing, ed, re, sub, un.
& If you say the word aloud and it still doesn’t sound
right, but the letters you say match the letters you see,
check the dictionary. You may have met a brand new
word to you.
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Step 8
Plan how to monitor the progress of each student on a regular basis.
Plan to listen to each student read aloud a short passage of text (1-2 minutes or 100-200
words) at least once a week. In addition to this informal assessment, more formal
documentation should occur at least every 4-6 weeks for high-achieving students, every 2
weeks for average readers, and low-achieving readers should be assessed weekly. The
Running Record is a tool that records what the student is doing when reading text. It
provides not only a record of the progress of the student in developing reading behaviors,
but also gives valuable information on the appropriateness of the text selected for the group.
It is particularly appropriate for at-risk students when the teacher needs specific information
about how students are processing text. Fluency checks may be more efficient for average
and above average readers. The purpose of this frequent assessment is to monitor growth
and the appropriateness of the assigned texts. If students are given text that is too difficult,
neither fluency nor the processing of print material will improve.
Assessment can be done during self-selected reading time, as students arrive in the
morning, at the beginning or end of the Guided Reading time, while the rest of the group is
reading from previously read texts, etc. Fluency checks or running record sheets can be
kept on a clipboard for easy access. Sample forms are found on pages 215-225 in Guided
Reading (Fountas and Pinnell, 1996).
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Guided Reading
Daily Planning Guide
Day 1+
If you are using a class theme with leveled books, introduce the theme to the whole class
and determine how the class will share information from the various books with each other.
If not using books that fit a theme, meet briefly with each small group to introduce the book
they will be reading (pre-exposure). If the theme supports the social studies or science
concept-based curriculum, you may want to spend some time as a whole class with a K—
What I Think I Know; W—What I Want to Find Out; L—What I Learned; or another
introductory pre-exposure strategy. You may also want to start by posting the Guiding
Questions from a concept-based unit of study. These can help students focus on what to
learn from their reading. When they think they have discovered an answer, it can be logged
or recorded on a chart. Comparing responses from the different texts adds perspective and
depth to the generalizations being formed.
If a study trip were used to introduce the concept, writing about the experience would be an
appropriate way to begin. A process strategy useful for study trips is to have students write
about what they think they will learn or see before going on the study trip; write
immediately upon return what they saw/learned; and then compare the two. It is ideal if a
video camera can be taken on the study trip to record the experience. Students can then
check what they think they saw with a second viewing.
The introduction to a theme could also be done during the traditional social studies or
science time or during Shared Reading. A companion book to the theme may be the
teacher read-aloud and used to build background and to expose students to the vocabulary,
the setting, the time period, the topic, or the genre in the theme set.
Day 2
Assign books to each group. Plan to work with the at-risk group first. Other groups may
be assigned a predicting or questioning activity for independent work while working with the
at-risk group.
Introduce the entire book on the first day, which may take the entire twenty minutes. Use
the illustrations; introduce the characters, setting, or topic; and highlight any literary
elements (such as dialect) or do a mini-lesson on a word analysis skill students will need to
successfully decode unknown words in the book. Teach the students how to use clues in
the pictures or the words in the title to make predictions. Then have the students predict
what the book is about or what will happen in the story. Record the predictions so they can
be verified or rejected as the book is read. Talk about why the predictions make sense or
do not make sense.
After finishing with the at-risk group, give them an independent activity such as
summarizing, questioning, or reading a self-selected book to do while you work with a
second group. Many of the independent activities for comprehension including graphic
organizers, retelling, summarizing, and predicting should be modeled with the whole group
during Shared Reading before assigning as independent work. After students have been
taught how to use story maps, Venn Diagrams, character maps, cause and effect forms,
etc., you may wish to put blank sheets of these organizers in file folders and let the students
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choose which one they want to use to demonstrate their knowledge of their reading. These
could be done for chapters or sections as well as for the entire book.
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Day 3
Review an assigned graphic organizer, briefly discuss the text read the previous day, or use
a strategy such as reciprocal teaching described below to build comprehension and
competence in self-monitoring strategies.
Summarize
Have students summarize what happened in the part of the book read the previous day.
When first introducing this activity, model it carefully and write the summary on a chart so
that it can be added to each time the group reports back. Summaries should relate
significant events from the story and should be limited to two or three sentences depending
on the length of the passage that was read. Students summarize and the teacher records.
This will take more time at the beginning, but will go faster and smoother as students
become proficient with it. Later, you will give that task to students to do during their
independent work time.
Summarizing is one of several “jobs” that students should learn how to do. Before
assigning these tasks to students, you will need to model each of the following strategies
and guide students in practicing the skill so that each can do the task. Review these tasks
frequently and model as needed.
Clarify
Have one or more students point out an example of when he or she had to clarify a word or
passage of text for meaning. He or she may have had to read beyond the word and then,
using that information, self-correct or figure out the unfamiliar word. The student may also
clarify a paragraph or several sentences by rereading, checking for picture clues, or reading
for more information and then going back to make meaning.
Predict
Have one student tell what he or she thinks will happen next in the story and why.
Question
Have one or more students ask a question about the information in the section or chapter
read. Teach students the “question” words: who, where, when, why, what, how. The
student asking the question must determine if the student answering is correct. If other
students in the group challenge the response, have them document the answer in the text.
Introduce the Next Text Selection
Use the information in each section summary and your own knowledge of what your
students will need to be exposed to in order to understand the passage to develop the
introduction. Keep this as brief as possible so that students will have time to read the
passage. Have “Meets” and “Exceeds” students start reading silently. Then, one by one,
have each student read several sentences aloud to you as a way of determining if they will
be able to read the material independently. If so, they can be given time to read the
passage at their desks. Before sending them back to their seats, remind them that they
should be prepared to do all of the strategies explained above. “Needs’” students may need
to find a quiet place to read aloud to themselves. Hearing the text can help them note
errors. You can then move from student to student to listen to them read a portion orally.
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Retelling or Summary
Be certain that students understand the difference between a summary and a retelling.
Retelling is an excellent comprehension writing activity that students should be assigned on
a somewhat regular basis. Retellings are excellent assessment assignments and extremely
effective when students are reading material at their instructional level. It provides a
vehicle for vocabulary development as students use the words from the story in their
retelling. Summaries are only two or three sentences that highlight the main idea of the
passage. Summarizing takes consistent practice and teacher guidance.
Day 4
Review the Previous Day’s Reading
Randomly ask students to share orally one of the four tasks described above. You may do
this by having students draw slips of paper or ice cream sticks with the jobs listed on them.
Have each member of the group contribute to the discussion. Depending on the number of
students, you may need to have two students ask questions instead of one, or two students
to clarify. You may also wish to collect the writing assignments on a rotating basis to
grade. At the beginning, it is important to assign only one task, e.g. questioning, and then to
check each student’s work daily to make certain all students understand what they are to
do.
Introduce the Next Section
Have Students Read
Assess one or more students orally by listening to them read aloud ten to twelve lines of
text (There are usually 8-10 words per line, giving you about 100 words to listen to.)
Remember that if students can read 100 words with six or fewer errors, the book is
probably at the appropriate instructional level (The concept load is a separate factor which
should be considered and monitored through the comprehension activities to see if students
understand what is happening in the text.).
Day 5+
Repeat the cycle until the book is completed.
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Theme: Acceptance
Because of Winn-Dixie, Daphne’s Book, The Gold Cadillac,
Junebug, The Paint Brush Kid, War With Grandpa
Generalizations
Individuals change over time.
Individuals are unique physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally.
Individual perceptions may create conflict.
Friendship requires caring and acceptance.
Individuals share common elements and possess unique characteristics.
Concepts
Change
Constancy
Diversity
Commonality
Acceptance
Guiding Questions
How are individuals alike and how are they different?
Why are individuals different?
Why do individuals change over time?
What common elements do families share?
What creates change in a family?
What is a family?
What responsibilities do family and community members have?
What are the characteristics of a friend?
What creates conflict between family or community members?
Why is a family a system?
How does a system support its membership?
Introducing the Theme
Begin a discussion about how class members are alike and how they are different.
Talk about how their past experiences contribute to different perceptions and beliefs
which may lead to conflict.
Write a short essay on friendship. Develop a list of common characteristics students
identified in their essays.
Invite several staff members or other adults to share their family structures. Try to
have as many different models as you can. Compare their commonalities and their
differences.
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Sharing the Theme
Name ____________________________
Book
_____________________________________
As you read your book, respond to the following questions.
Describe the relationships among the
characters in your book.
Describe the differences among the characters
in your book.
Describe the commonalities between the
characters in your book.
Choose one of the characters in your book
and describe his or her responsibilities.
What conflicts occurred in your book?
Choose one character and describe how they
changed during the story.
Identify one of the characters in the book that Choose one character and tell why you liked
you feel is most like you. Tell why you are like or didn’t like that character.
the character.
Grade 4 Guided Reading
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Grade 4 Guided Reading
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The Paint Brush Kid
Synopsis
School’s out, and Gregory doesn’t know what he’s going to do with his summer vacation.
During the school year he created a beautiful garden with his giant chalk drawings, and he’d
like to draw something even better. Gregory spends his days at his friend Uncle Pancho’s
house, listening to him tell stories about his childhood. But Uncle Pancho is about to lose his
house. Gregory comes up with the idea of painting scenes from Uncle Pancho’s childhood
onto his house in order to make it so beautiful—no one will want to tear it down. And even
though Gregory’s idea doesn’t work out the way he has planned, he ends up saving the day for
his friend Uncle Pancho. (Amazon.com)
The Paint Brush Kid is about Gregory’s special friendship with his elderly neighbor, Uncle
Pancho. Uncle Pancho always does nice things for Gregory and his friends Ivy and Richard,
and when Uncle Pancho is in trouble, Gregory and his friends try to help him. Part of what
makes Gregory’s friendship with Uncle Pancho so special is their big age difference.
(Amazon.com)
Uncle Pancho does lose his house to the new freeway. Mr. Hiller, from the plant nursery,
asks him to move the house next to his so they can live next to each other. Uncle Pancho still
hopes he will find his son someday.
Author
Clyde Robert Bulla
Introduction
Look at the cover of the book. List everything you see in the picture. Are all the people
real? Why or why not? Why are the words “Paint Brush” printed in red in the title? Have you
ever read The Chalk Box Kid? What happened in that story? What connection can you make
between that story and the cover of this book?
Chapter 1 Pages 1-8
It is summer vacation and almost ten-year-old Gregory is having his Uncle Max as a
babysitter for the summer while Gregory’s parents work. Ivy is a friend of Gregory’s and a very
good artist, just like Gregory. She comes to Gregory’s house looking for her little brother
Richard. He likes the garden in Gregory’s yard, so she thought he might have come there. Ivy
has already looked “out back,” which meant the burned building behind the house. It was
where Gregory has drawn a child garden on the walls. Gregory and Ivy continue to look for
Richard. They go to Uncle Pancho’s house to see if Richard is there. Uncle Pancho isn’t
anyone’s uncle really; everyone just calls him that. They go into the back yard, and there sits
Richard.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
friendship, family, lost-found
crunched, famous, guitar, frowned, grown-up, excused, factories, whispering,
wrinkled
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Chapter 2 Pages 9-15
Richard tells Gregory and Ivy that he likes Uncles Pancho’s stories. Richard’s father is out
driving in his truck looking for him and sees him with Ivy and Gregory. He picks him up and
takes him home. His mother is upset that Richard had not told her where he was going and
that he ran away. Richard says he didn’t know where he was going till he got there. He had
followed a cat to where Uncle Pancho lives. They all were glad that Uncle Pancho was taking
care of Richard. He had given him bread and milk. Richard’s mother said Uncle Pancho
helps everybody, but she didn’t feel that people helped him. Richard’s father said he was
going to paint Uncle Pancho’s house when he has time. Richard asks to go back to Uncle
Pancho’s house to listen to more stories. His mother says he can go back if his sister goes
with him. All three children go back and listen to more stories. Uncle Pancho gives them
oranges to eat, and he tells them a story about Mexico. While they were there, Gregory
decided what he wants to do for the summer vacation—paint Uncle Pancho’s house.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
kindness, giving of self, sharing
porch, loaf, pasture, rooster, swinging bridge, pretended
Chapter 3 16-23
The next morning, Ivy comes to get Gregory because her father wants to see him. He has
heard that Gregory wants to paint Uncle Pancho’s house. He shows him some yellow paint
and tells him to take a sample to Uncle Pancho to see if he likes the color. Uncle Pancho
does like the yellow color, but he doesn’t understand why Gregory wants to paint his house.
Gregory tells him it needs painting, and Ivy’s father is too busy to do it. Uncle Pancho feels
bad that he cannot do it himself, but he is getting too old to paint. They all sit in the backyard,
and Uncle Pancho tells them about some men coming from the government last year. They
said there are plans to build a freeway there, and Uncle Pancho is afraid he will lose his house.
Uncle Pancho found out that wasn’t true, and he shouldn’t worry. After picking an orange off
the tree for Richard, Uncle Pancho tells them a story about a man named Jose—his son.
Jose’s mother had taken him away because she was tired of staying with her husband and
being poor. Uncle Pancho says he had looked for them and followed them to a city up north.
He did not find them. Uncle Pancho says that was a sad story. Gregory has an idea for
painting the house. He will put pictures on the house, pictures of Uncle Pancho’s life. Uncle
Pancho gets mad and says his house is not for people to laugh at.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
helpfulness, sadness, anger
plink, nodded, scrape, scare, government, barber, puzzled (look)
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Chapter 4 Pages 24-32
Gregory feels bad about the situation with Uncle Pancho. He didn’t mean to make him
mad. Gregory just wishes he had some more walls to paint on like he did with the chalk.
Gregory’s parents tell him Mr. Hiller, from the plant nursery, asked about him today and
wondered if he has plans for any more gardens like the one he had made from chalk. Gregory
says he doesn’t. He went to the plant nursery that evening and finds Mr. Hiller watering plants.
Gregory talks to him about Uncle Pancho and tells him about wanting to paint his house, the
pictures, and Uncle Pancho getting upset. Mr. Hiller says sometimes Uncle Pancho loses his
temper, and he will be glad to talk to him. Gregory feels better as he starts for home.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
sadness, understanding
restaurant, guard, plant nursery, concrete, mope, thoughtful, temper, harm
Chapter 5 Pages 33-42
Uncle Pancho comes to Gregory’s house to apologize. He says Mr. Hiller had talked with
him and he didn’t realize it was Gregory who was the Chalk Box Kid. He thought Gregory was
going to paint funny pictures on his house. Uncle Pancho says Gregory can paint his house.
Gregory says he will paint it yellow and if Uncle Pancho doesn’t like it, he will paint over it.
Gregory, Ivy, and Richard start that afternoon and do most of the scraping. It takes them a
week to finish painting the house. Uncle Pancho likes the yellow color, but agrees they can
paint a picture on it to see if he likes it. Ivy’s dad gets Gregory more paint and tubes to mix for
different colors. Gregory is painting a picture of Uncle Pancho and his brothers and sisters on
the house. Ivy is painting the faces, and Gregory will do the outlines and clothes. Richard
paints in the grass and sky. Uncle Pancho is excited to see the picture of himself and his
brothers and sisters. He says for them to paint more!
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
misunderstanding, acceptance
artist, scraping, lemonade
Chapter 6 Pages 43-50
For days the painting goes on, and many people come to watch. Uncle Pancho especially
likes the picture of the swinging bridge. Gregory paints other things Uncle Pancho has told
them stories about—the mountains of Mexico, the house where the lady singer lived, the little
roads, and his son as a grown man. Uncle Pancho says he my have been wrong to give up
looking for his son. He will find Jose again. As they are finishing the last picture, a man from
the state comes and asks why they are going to so much trouble painting the house. The
freeway is coming through, and the house will be torn down. Uncle Pancho looks dejected
and goes in the house. Gregory is determined to finish the painting before they tear the house
down.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
remembering, feeling dejected, uncertainty, determination
mountains, whispered, shadows
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Chapter 7 Pages 51-60
Miss Cartright, the art teacher, hears about Gregory and the Picture House. She comes
by to see it. When hearing it may be town down, she says she has a plan. Television and
newspaper people come to get the city behind saving the house and put the freeway
elsewhere. Mr. Hiller tells the news people about Uncle Pancho coming from Mexico and
trying to find his son. Gregory and Uncle Pancho have their pictures taken for the television
show. Uncle Pancho tells the story, on the air, about looking for his son. Uncle Pancho says
now his son will know where he can find him. Miss Cartright talks to the freeway people and
tells Gregory she couldn’t change their plans. Gregory and Mr. Hiller go to tell Uncle Pancho,
but he has already heard the news. Mr. Hiller asks if he can be Uncle Pancho’s son.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
problem solving, perseverance, disappointment
amazing, announcer, cameraman, crowded, whisper, bowed
Chapter 8 Pages 61-66
Mr. Hiller talks about his house in back of the nursery. He asks Uncle Pancho if he will
move his house there so they can be next to each other. They move Uncle Pancho’s house
and then a celebration is held. Gregory gives a little talk about him not knowing what he was
going to do over summer vacation, then he and his friends work together to paint the house. It
has been a good vacation. Uncle Max wrote a song, sang it, and played his guitar at the party.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
resolution, celebration
celebration, gathered, microphone
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Because of Winn-Dixie
Synopsis
Because of Winn-Dixie, a big, ugly, happy dog, 10-year-old Opal learns 10 things about her
long-gone mother from her preacher father. Because of Winn-Dixie, Opal makes new friends
among the somewhat unusual residents of her new hometown, Naomi, Florida. Because of
Winn-Dixie, Opal begins to find her place in the world and let go of some of the sadness left by
her mother’s abandonment seven years earlier.
With her newly adopted, goofy pooch at her side, Opal explores her bittersweet world and
learns to listen to other people’s lives. This warm and winning book hosts an unforgettable
cast of characters, including a librarian who fought off a bear with a copy of War and Peace,
and ex-con pet-store clerk who plays sweet music to his animal charges, and the
neighborhood “witch,” a nearly blind woman who sees with her heart. Opal brings her own
unique and wonderful voice of a story of friendship, loneliness, and acceptance.
(Amazon.com)
Author
Kate DiCamillo
Introduction
Look at the cover of the book. What do you think this story is about? Who do you think are
the main characters? Where do you think they live? Who do you think is Winn-Dixie? Have
you ever had a dog? What are some things that happened to you because of your dog?
Chapter 1 Pages 7-12
India Opal Buloni tells how she went to the store to buy some groceries and comes back
with a dog. A dog is found to be in the store and the manager wanted the pound called to
come and get the dog. Opal decides to save the dog by saying it is hers. Now she wonders
what her father will think when the two of them get home.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
rescue, anticipation
produce section, trotting, bald patches
Chapter 2 Pages 13-19
Opal, her father’s mother’s name, asks her father about him preaching that people should
help the less fortunate. She says she found a “less fortunate” that needs her. The preacher,
her father, takes one look at the large, matted dog and agrees to let him stay.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
relief, acceptance
distracted, sermons, suffering people, “an exception,” specifically, fold out
table, less fortunate, matted-up fur
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Chapter 3 Pages 20-25
As Opal gives Winn-Dixie a bath, she talks to him about the places she has been and the
fact that they are both orphans because neither of them has a mother. She tells her father that
Winn-Dixie said because she is ten, her father should tell her ten things about her mother. He
agreed.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
bonding, wondering
insulted, relieved, intended, nudge
Chapter 4 Pages 26-30
The preacher tells her ten things about her mama. She writes them down and reads them
until they are memorized. That way, she will recognize her mama if she ever comes back.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
discovery, fulfillment
head nor tail, constellations, microscope, memorized
Chapter 5 Pages 31-39
Winn-Dixie shows his dislike for being left alone at home by tearing up the house and
howling. The preacher and Opal decide to take him everywhere they go, including church.
The church is known to have a mouse problem, and Winn-Dixie sets out to catch the mice—
during the church service! Opal thinks her mama would like to hear this story.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
problem solving, humor
cushions, pews, congregation, barbecue, wailed, squishing, retriever,
polished, applauded
Chapter 6 Pages 40-44
Winn-Dixie accompanies Opal to the public library. He is seen looking in the window by
the librarian who is sure it is a bear. Opal convinces her it is dog. Winn-Dixie ends up coming
into the library with Opal.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
surprise, acceptance
humming, scary, trembling, weigh, snuffled
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Chapter 7 Pages 45-51
Miss Franny, the librarian, tells Opal a story about a real bear coming to the library where
she first worked. She raised the book she was reading, War and Peace, toward the bear to
scare it. It grabbed the book and ran off. Opal and Miss Franny decide to be friends. Amanda
comes into the library, but she ignores Opal.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
excitement, friendship
palmetto trees, mosquitoes, nodded, librarian, peculiar, aimed, snatched,
pinched-faced, advanced
Chapter 8 Pages 52-59
Opal goes to the store to get a leash and collar for Winn-Dixie. Because she doesn’t have
any money, she asks the clerk if she can pay on the installment plan. After being told “no,” she
asks for a job sweeping the floor to earn the money. She is hired. Upon leaving, she sees
Sweetie Pie who invites Opal to her sixth birthday party in September. Opal is glad, even
though it is for a six year old and not until September.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
problem solving, trust
stray, limp, leather, furious, absolutely, combination, expensive, situation,
installment plan, irritating, ignoring, trustworthy, mumbled, croaked, knuckle,
stroked, drooped, invitation
Chapter 9 Pages 60-66
While riding her bike, Opal meets Dunlap and Stevie who follow her. When Winn-Dixie
runs ahead, they tell Opal the dog-eating witch will get him. Opal catches up to Winn-Dixie
who is being fed by the “witch.” Gloria Dump, the witch, asks Opal to stay for a sandwich.
Opal agrees and is so glad to finally have someone to talk to.
Key Concept:
Vocabulary:
acceptance
whispered, identical, hollered, witch, crinkly, floppy, thumped, busted, rely
Chapter 10 Pages 67-71
Opal tells Gloria all about herself, the preacher, Winn-Dixie, and the ten things about her
mama. Gloria’s eyesight isn’t very good, so she sees with her heart. Gloria asks Opal to help
her with the garden. When the preacher kisses Opal goodnight, he even kisses Winn-Dixie on
the nose.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
friendship, acceptance
frowning, tucking, whiskers, yawning, amazed
Grade 4 Guided Reading
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Chapter 11 Pages 72-78
The preacher and Opal find out how afraid Winn-Dixie is of thunderstorms.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
confusion, empathy
whining, whimpering, confused, barreling, pathological fear, terrorized, cocked
Chapter 12 Pages 79-86
When Opal arrived at the pet store for her first day of work, all the animals were out of their
cages and sitting quietly on the floor. Otis, the store owner, is playing his guitar. He says it
makes them happy. He lets them out of their cages, because he knows how they feel being
locked up. He has been in jail. Opal can’t wait to get home and write down all the things she
wants to remember to tell her mom.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
freedom, calmness
skinny pointy-toed, slithering, snake charmer, escape, criminal, charming
Chapter 13 pages 87-91
Opal is happy spending her summer working at the pet store, going to the library, and
visiting Gloria Dump. The neighbor kids tease her about spending time with a witch. She
continues to defend Gloria. Miss Dump always wants Opal to tell her what’s going on in the
world and to tell her a story.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
contentment, defending a friend
routine, concert, cooped up, retarded, soldier, ignorant, roundabout
Chapter 14 Pages 92-97
Opal tells Gloria about Otis having been in jail. Gloria takes her to a tree where empty
bottles are hung. They are to keep away the ghosts. Gloria used to drink, and she says you
must judge people by what they are doing now—not what they have done in the past.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
character, remembering
imitated, whiskey, clanking, alcohol, judge, harsh
Grade 4 Guided Reading
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Chapter 15 Pages 98-103
Because Gloria’s eyes are bad and she can’t read well, Opal reads to her. She stopped by
the library to get a book to read—Gone with the Wind. Miss Franny was telling her a story
about the Civil War when Amanda came into the library.
Key Concept:
Vocabulary:
caring
air conditioning, hogged, dandelion puff, chattering, slavery, yawned, crosslegged, dramatic, suit yourself
Chapter 16 Pages 104-109
Miss Franny, the librarian, tells the girls the story about her great-grandfather being in the
Civil War. Amanda and Opal are now focused on the same thing for the first time.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
war, suffering
shrugged, convince, hell (war is hell), vermin, itchy, typhoid fever, battlefield
Chapter 17 Pages 110-117
Miss Franny’s great-grandfather opened a candy factory after returning from the war. His
Littmus Lozenge was famous the world over. When people eat the candy, it makes them think
of things they feel sad about. The secret ingredient in the candy is sorrow. Not everyone can
taste it. Opal asks to take a piece to the preacher, Otis, Gloria, and Sweetie Pie.
Key Concept:
Vocabulary:
sadness
sensation, decision, sorry affair, concentrate, family fortune, manufactured,
appetite, swallowed, gulp, secret ingredient, sorrow, sorrow-filled
Chapter 18 Pages 118-127
As Opal gives the candy to the different people, it reminds them about something sad that
has happened. These stories are told to Opal. She sucks on a lozenge when she goes to
bed so she can remember her mama.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
remembering, sadness
stomach, peculiar, hunching, melancholy, suffering, tragedies, idle
conversation
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Chapter 19 Pages 128-132
Otis tells Opal the reason he went to jail was because he wouldn’t quit playing his guitar on
the street. Now he only plays it for the animals, Winn-Dixie, and Sweetie Pie.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
confession, resolution
handcuffs, guitar
Chapter 20 Pages 131-142
Opal and Gloria talk about the sadness others have had in their lives. While continuing to
read Gone with the Wind, Opal gets the idea of having a party at Gloria’s for all their friends.
Gloria tells her she must also invite the Dewberry boys and Amanda. Otis was the only one
who didn’t want to come. Opal told him he wouldn’t have to talk to anyone, just come and play
his guitar.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
decisions, celebration
arrested, hem, drowned, aching heart, nervouslike
Chapter 21 Pages 141-149
Opal and Gloria make the sandwiches, punch, and decorate the yard. Almost everyone
comes to the party including Gertrude the parrot who sat on Winn-Dixie’s head. Otis brought a
jar of pickles. There were Littmus Lozenges for an after-dinner treat.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
friendship, overcoming challenges
convinced, crusts, toothpicks, frilly, punch, strung, swollen, desperately,
shimmery, high-heeled, swayed, wobble, introduced, screechy
Chapter 22 Pages150-154
The preacher blesses the party by saying a prayer before eating. The only people missing
were the Dewberry boys. Opal said they probably wouldn’t come because they think Gloria is
a witch. It begins to storm.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
acceptance, uncertainty
amuse, appreciate, complicated, task, Christ’s name, crooked, rumble, predict
Grade 4 Guided Reading
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Chapter 23 Pages 155-160
Everyone grabbed some food, punch, and decorations to take in out of the rain. In the
confusion, no one made sure Winn-Dixie was inside. When they went to look for her, Dunlap
and Stevie were standing on the porch. Opal was fearful that her dog was lost. The preacher
took a flashlight and went to look for Winn-Dixie.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
confusion, fear
teetery, crepe paper, hollered, downpour, squawked, magazine, umbrellas
Chapter 24 Pages 161-168
The preacher and Opal walked all over town looking for Winn-Dixie. She thought of a list of
things she knew about Winn-Dixie just like the list of things she knew about her mama. The
preacher finally said it was time to stop looking for Winn-Dixie. Opal was upset about that and
shouted at him that she bet he didn’t even go looking for her mama when she had left. Then
the preacher started to cry. He loved the dog, too. Opal asked him if he thought mama would
ever come back. He said, “No.” The preacher said he was glad she had at least left Opal
behind. They continued to search for Winn-Dixie.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
sadness, resolution
taillights, pathological, squishing, drizzle, snuffly, wrapped
Chapter 25 Pages 169-176
After awhile they returned to Gloria’s house. Everyone was in the kitchen listening to the
guitar, being played by Otis, and singing. Earlier, while they had been singing, they heard a
sneeze. The dog was under the bed! They rejoiced and Opal was overcome with happiness.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
discovery, happiness
burglar
Chapter 26 Pages 177-182
Opal went out to talk to Gloria’s mistake tree. She said she knew ten things about mama,
and she wasn’t coming back. Dunlap came out in the yard and confessed that he knew all
along that Gloria wasn’t a witch. They went back inside so they all could be together, sing, and
learn more songs. The Littmus Lozenge in Opal’s mouth was like a flower blooming, all sweet
and sad.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
celebration, acceptance, peace
leaned echoed, strummed
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Comprehension
Noting Details
Make a list of all the words the author used to describe each of the characters in the book.
Grade 4 Guided Reading
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Junebug
Synopsis
Junebug lives in the projects, taking care of his little sister, Tasha, when his mother works.
He avoids the boys in gangs and dreams of someday becoming a boat captain. Afraid of
changing his life, bleak as it is, for something unknown, he hopes his mother won’t move the
family across town and take the new job she’s been offered. However, when his young Aunt
Jolita gets too friendly with a bad crowd and begins drawing him in, he realizes that leaving is
the family’s only hope. His mother decides to take the new job which will move the family out
of the projects and into a better school. Junebug realizes this is the way to starting a better
life. Junebug is a compelling, thoughtful narrator whose wishes and determination are
balanced by Jolita’s absence of dreams and character. (Amazon.com)
Author
Alice Mead
Introduction
Look at the cover of the book. How do you think he got the name Junebug? Why are there
bottles in the picture? There is paper in the bottles—why? Have you ever heard of someone
writing a note on a piece of paper and putting it in a bottle? Why would someone do that?
What would they write on the note? What would they do with the bottle after the note is inside?
Do you think these bottles are important to the story? Why or why not?
Chapter 1 Pages 3-9
The story begins with Junebug writing a paper in school titled “My Wish.” He does have a
birthday wish, but that’s a secret. He thinks about babysitting his younger sister, Tasha, after
school and the projects where he lives. No one ever goes to the projects on purpose.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
daydreaming, responsibilities
lanyard, snaky trail, seagulls, portable classrooms, disgust, rickety, cubby,
projects (related to a place to live)
Chapter 2 Pages 10-14
Descriptions are given of the neighborhood and the building where he lives. Junebug
collects bottles, which allow him a small escape from reality as looking through the ripple
green glass reminds him of smooth and warm sand.
Key Concepts: sadness, uselessness
Vocabulary: flimsy, echoey, hollow, vibrate, embankment, crouched, horizon, ripply
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Chapter 3 Pages 15-23
Most afternoons Junebug and Tasha go to the little library. Today, they see Miss
Robinson, the reading teacher, there. They begin to talk about books and poetry which makes
Junebug remember his writing assignment that he has to finish for homework.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
hope, anger
sigh of disgust, momentarily, pestery, smunches, exasperated, creases,
ridges
Chapter 4 Pages 24-34
Mama arrives home from work with the news that she has been offered a new job as
supervisor for group apartments for the elderly. It would mean a move across town. She asks
Junebug what he would like for his birthday, and all he says is corks! His friend Darnell and
Aunt Jolita seem to be in some sort of trouble.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
change, uncertainty
elevator, corks, supervisor, elderly, mumble, tar, chain-link fence, swats, twoon-one
Chapter 5 Pages 35-46
Junebug finishes his “wish” poem for school wishing to fly away in a sailboat to a beach
where he finds diamonds and treasure. A strange man in a suit talks with Darnell. Evie calls
Georgina a name and runs into the library to get help. This causes a problem and Georgina
and her friends go after Evie. Darnell comes to the rescue and things calm down. The library
and reading program are shut down due to fear of more violence.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
fear, lack of consistency
Mercedes, grouchy, furious, snatches, graveyard
Chapter 6 Pages 47-58
Darnell takes Junebug to his secret place beneath the streets. He shows him a lot of
money and says he will be going away. Darnell informs Junebug that Jolita is hanging out with
a bad crowd which steals and does drugs. Darnell makes sure Junebug will not tell anyone
that he saw him today. That evening two men come to Junebug’s apartment asking about
Darnell. Jolita leaves with them. Junebug now hopes his mama will take the new job so they
can move to a better area.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
confusion, fear, desire for a better life
shrinking potion, crosswise, shivery
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Chapter 7 Pages 59-69
Junebug feels he is locked up in never-never land, and he doesn’t know who has the key.
He will write his birthday wish (to sail a boat) fifty times—one for each of his bottles which he
plans to launch in the water. The man in the Mercedes comes for Jolita again. Mama wants
to talk with the man. After being shoved by him, Mama falls down the steps and is taken away
in an ambulance.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
despair, emptiness
gutter, pebbles, wrecked album, scraggly, reluctant, ballerina, launching,
superior, aqua, spinnakers, catalogues, sequined, high-pitched, whimper,
crouching
Chapter 8 Pages 70-84
With Mama away, Junebug and Tasha go to bed alone. He finds out the next day from
Jolita that Mama has a concussion. The man in the Mercedes shows up again asking about
Darnell. Junebug takes the bus to see Mama in the hospital. Mama tells him she has decided
to take the new job. He informs Mama they are going to Smuggler’s Cove for a picnic on his
birthday.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
shame, determination
momentarily, concussion, scowling, pouting, snitch, embankment, thuds,
clamber, casserole, American Chop Suey, clanky jewely, laundromat,
crumpled, flotilla, memorize, dolled-up, amputate
Chapter 9 Pages 85-94
Mama comes home from the hospital. On his birthday, Aunt Harriet takes them to the ferry
along with two trash bags full of his bottles. During their two-hour trip, he launches his bottles
and enjoys his birthday on the ferry. He begins to realize this is a dream. Who would ever
really read the notes and call to take him for a ride on a sailboat?
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
hope, excitement, possible disappointment
salutes, mutiny, ferry terminal, smokestack, wheelhouse, gangplank, quiver,
shudders, clench, bobbling, tiller, metal pilings
Chapter 10 Pages 95-97
Junebug gets a call from the ferry captain. Tasha had given the captain one of the bottles.
He offered Junebug sailing lessons in return for him doing chores at the boatyard.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
joy, surprise
shipshape, fumbling
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Chapter 11 Pages 98-102
Mama, Tasha, and Junebug move across town to their new apartment.
Junebug starts his job and becomes Captain McClain!
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
Tomorrow
pride, fulfillment
stalking, collapses
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Comprehension
Similes
Page 3 They’d talked like robots and walked like robots.
Page 11 Twenty pairs of eyes were fixed on him like the guns of a firing squad.
Page 21 His room looked like a tornado had hit it.
Metaphors
Page 72 The room was a snowstorm of toilet paper.
Page 72 He was a toilet paper mummy.
Proverbs
Page
Page
Page
Page
Page
Page
26
26
27
27
27
56
Waste not, want not
A stitch in time saves nine
There’s no place like home.
Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of your life.
If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, again.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Personification
Page 20 Remember the little engine. I think I can. I think I can.
General sentences worth discussing the meaning
Page 20 He imagined that he was a prisoner being driven to jail.
Page 35 He imagined that he was a prisoner who had just escaped from a chain
gang.
Page 49 To be or not to be - that is the question. To skate or not to skate – that is
the real question. (From Hamlet)
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Daphne’s Book
Synopsis
Forced by their English teacher to work together in composing a picture book, Jessica and
Daphne are both uncomfortable. Jessica is on the fringes of the class, but at least she’s not a
pariah and Daphne is. As they work together, however, Jessica begins to like Daphne and her
younger sister Hope. The two live with their demented grandmother under barely survivable
conditions. Before their book is finished, Jessica and Daphne have had to reveal their most
vulnerable spots to each other and Jessica has had to betray Daphne’s trust. Daphne’s fear
of being put in a foster home does happen. Jessica’s life is not a picture book either. Her
parents are divorced and her mother is very involved with her work. The typical seventh
grader’s overwhelming need to belong is a subplot of the book and it complicates Jessica’s
feeling about Daphne and Hope. (Amazon.com)
As the book ends, Daphne’s grandmother dies; relatives take Daphne and Hope to live with
them in Maine; and Daphne and Jessica promise to always be friends. This is a book about
friendship, thoughtless cruelty, and real values.
Author
Janet Taylor Lisle
Introduction
Look at the cover of the book. Who is in the picture? How old do you think they are? Why
are they dressed this way? What connection do you think there is between the notebook and
pencil and the title of the book? Why are there little mice in the picture? Do you think they are
important to the story? What role do they play in the book?
Chapter 1 Pages 1-7
Jessica and Daphne are in the same English class at Oakcrest Middle School. Mr.
O’Brien, the teacher, used to be Jessica’s favorite teacher. She feels he has ruined her life by
assigning Daphne to be her partner to write a picture book. Everybody hates Daphne. She
not only has bizarre clothing, she hasn’t said a word to anyone since she started school in
September. Daphne spends all her time reading and drawing elaborate doodles on her
notebook. After seeing how upset Jessica is, Mr. O’Brien explained that she was the best
writer in the class, and Daphne was the best artist. Mr. O’Brien is expecting a wonderful book
between them. He also puts them together because Jessica is a very sensitive person, and
Daphne needs a friend. Jessica decides to try to make the best of it.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
disappointment, compromise
final blow, raging, slogging, plastered, stroked, protesting, regain, obviously
depressed, rippled, gesturing, shushed, forcefully, paused dramatically,
murmured, sympathy, cautiously, bizarre, calf-length tiered skirt, elaborate,
attitude, afterthought, chorus of quacks, doodles, glided, pondering, hastily,
brimming with tears, sensitive, scuffed loafers
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Chapter 2 Pages 8-13
Jessica is very worried about what the other students will think about Daphne being her
partner. When she talks with her mother about it, Jessica receives little sympathy. Jessica is
concerned that Daphne won’t do her share of the book. She is also worried about keeping
Tracy for a friend.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
inner conflict, fearful of what her friends will think
plodded, frothing, shivering, compositions, hovering, out east, tolerated,
shuddered, tremble, self-confidence, endured, condescending smile,
scowling, collapsed, stucco, drearier, rubble-strewn street, irreversible,
pleadingly, sympathetic
Chapter 3 Pages 14-21
Mr. O’Brien changes the seating in class so everyone is sitting next to their partner. He is
taking the class to the public library to look at picture books. Everyone laughs at the idea. Mr.
O’Brien wants them to see some good examples before they begin their books. Jessica talks
to Tracy about what her book will be about. Tracy and Michelle will write “The Nightmare
Slumber Party.” Jessica thinks that Daphne probably is just as unhappy to be her partner as
she is to have Daphne as a partner. Jessica finds herself wondering why Daphne always
looks so sad and wishing she would smile.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
adapting, concern
half-changed voice, muffle, octaves, buffet (furniture), contented, suspiciously,
enviously, dittoed bibliography, indignantly, chandelier, insane asylum,
incredibly naïve, amoeba, hilarious
Chapter 4 Pages 22-33
As Jessica lay in bed worrying about the Write-a-Book contest, she glances at her
dollhouse. The inhabitants are a family of small mice. Jessica’s grandfather made the
dollhouse for her. She likes to play with it and rearrange the small furniture. When the
students arrive at the library the next day, they find their partners and sit down to begin their
work. They begin reading picture books. Worrying about a topic for their book and seeing a
collection of mice in a display case, Jessica thinks they could write about mice. Mr. O’Brien
likes the idea. He encourages the girls to pursue that topic.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
problem solving, empathy
grimaces, meowed plaintively, reluctantly, illuminated, interior, inhabitants,
bureau, schemes, plumed hat, rummaged, horoscope, predicted, heed,
colleagues, transatlantic, pondering, parka, original, frustration, indecent, plot
outline, rascal, peculiar, swerving
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Chapter 5 Pages 34-39
Daphne agrees to go to Jessica’s house on Saturday afternoon to work on their story.
Daphne tells her to draw her a map as she lives with her grandmother out in the country and
she will have to walk to get there. Jessica turns down an offer to go skating with Tracy
because of the kids who hang out there. Stopping at the tot lot on the way home from school
to swing, Jessica remembers when she and Tracy used to spend time there. Tracy and
Michelle seem to be more grown up than Jessica and have different interests now.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
making decisions, inner conflict
grossed, awkwardly, transition, warily, reluctant, exhausting, scurried,
abnormal, marvelous
Chapter 6 Pages 40-51
Daphne arrives at Jessica’s house with her little sister Hope. After a snack, they go to
Jessica’s room where she shares the story she has written. Daphne begins to sketch the
dollhouse and mice. Hope and Jessica play with the mice. After a while they go outside to
take the mice on a real journey. Realizing it is getting dark, Daphne said they need to start for
home. She declines an offer for a ride from Jessica’s mother. Daphne’s mood turns “cool”
toward Jessica as she and Hope quickly leave. Jessica and her mother catch up with them
and insist they take the offer of a ride. They are taken to a dark and lonely looking house at the
end of a long driveway. Jessica is questioning what Daphne thinks of her.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
working together, unsure feelings
ushering, lurking, nasty disposition, contortions, mustache, rummaged,
emerge, quavery, astray, wiles, venerable, hideously, peril, brandished,
persisted, bleak countryside
Chapter 7 Pages 52-65
Jessica is concerned that her friend Tracy is acting more like Michelle now and talking
about dating boys. Jessica’s friends laugh when they find out her story is about mice. Daphne
and Hope arrive at Jessica’s house again the next Saturday. They go outside to find their
mice. They tell a magical story using the mice in the backyard area. As they begin to finish
the story and sketches, Tracy and Michelle suddenly appear and ask what they are doing.
Jessica says they are writing their story, but Michelle laughs at them and says they are playing
mice. Daphne and Hope leave to walk home so they won’t be late again. Jessica helps her
mom fix dinner. Ed comes to dinner again and they all play four games of Clue.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
trouble with friends, working together (with Daphne and as a family)
mustering my courage, remote, moldy smell, hysterics, crudely, grottoes,
entreating, solemnly, winced, capered, insistent, compromised, bellowed,
loping, liberated, envied, hovered
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Chapter 8 Pages 66-80
Jessica is excited to show Daphne the finished typed story. Daphne is not in school for
four days. Worried, Jessica asks her mother to drive her out to Daphne’s house to check on
her. They find Daphne, Hope, and their grandmother walking along the road collecting bottles.
Because Daphne is absent again on Friday, Jessica turns her story in without illustrations.
Jessica tells Mr. O’Brien she will go to Daphne’s house on Saturday to check on her and get
the illustrations. Jessica finds the house to be old and desolate. Upon entering the house, she
sees the grandmother. The house is dark, cold, full of trash, and stinking of cats. After
Jessica gets the pictures, Daphne walks her out into the yard. Daphne tells Jessica she
probably won’t be in school for a while because she has mononucleosis. Jessica volunteers
to get schoolwork for her. Daphne shares that her father had been killed in Vietnam before
Hope was born. They choose a place to sit down and look at the illustrations. They are
beautiful. Daphne invites Jessica back into the house for tea. The grandmother becomes
irritated with Jessica being there and the tea Daphne serves her. Grandmother seems upset
with the house being in ruins and talks about John (her son and Daphne’s dad) coming back
home from Vietnam. Daphne leads grandmother out of the room for her nap.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
fear, happiness, confusion, empathy
sappy, smirked, jostling, orthodontist, cul-de-sacs, bungalows, Victorian,
dormers, flanked, guardians, desolate, somber, bewildered, seizing,
apprehensively, fast-talking developer, agitated, mononucleosis, nonchalant,
beckoned, muted colors, sequel, defensively
Chapter 9 Pages 81-90
Jessica and her family think the pictures are wonderful. Jessica tells Mr. O’Brien she will
take Daphne’s work to her on Saturday. Taking the little mice with her, Jessica, Daphne, and
Hope go out into the yard to work on a sequel. Hope becomes hungry, but Daphne says they
do not have anything to eat. Jessica convinces them to go to McDonald’s with her, and she
will buy them lunch. Jessica asks what they do with all the newspapers and bottles they
collect. Daphne says they buy groceries. While at McDonald’s, Scott, Tony, Tracy, and
Michelle show up. Jessica runs into the bathroom to hide from them. She doesn’t want them
to know she is there with Daphne. Hope comes into the bathroom to see if Jessica is sick.
Her cover is blown. Tracy and Michelle ask Hope why Daphne isn’t in school. She says her
grandmother said Daphne is too smart and doesn’t need to go to school. When Jessica and
Hope go out to look for Daphne, she has already left. They catch up with her, and they see
she is crying. She won’t say what is wrong.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
helpfulness, embarrassment, uncertainty, guilt
scowled, crepes, souvenir, frayed, ingredient, prospect, monopolized, fortress,
capered, persuade, dislodging, cringed
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Chapter 10 Pages 91-101
Daphne finally breaks down and tells Jessica why she is crying and so upset. She is not
sick. She is worried about her grandmother becoming more and more strange. Daphne
makes Jessica promise she won’t tell anyone because she is afraid she and Hope will end up
in an orphanage. Grandmother shows up and becomes mad knowing Jessica is there. She
makes her leave. Jessica promises to bring Daphne her homework. Michelle and Tracy
approach Jessica at school and tease her about Daphne, her being at McDonald’s, and about
Daphne not going to school. Mr. O’Brien asks Jessica about Daphne. He says he may drive
out to her house and see how she is doing.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
shame, helplessness, teasing, concern
gazed, deny, vigorously, orphanage, tweaked, earnestly, etched with wrinkles,
quivering with anger, frothing, dawdled, genuinely
Chapter 11 Pages 102-111
Daphne calls Jessica from McDonald’s. She asks Jessica to come and see her
tomorrow. Jessica worries about Daphne walking back to her house from McDonald’s at ten
o’clock at night. When Jessica arrives at Daphne’s house the next day, they go inside for tea.
Hope asks Jessica if they can go to her house after tea and maybe stay for supper. They
discover that grandmother has fed all their food to the cats. Daphne says they can eat cereal
and tells Hope it would be okay. Hope says their dad will be coming home soon.
Grandmother saw him in the woods. Grandmother got up from her nap, and Jessica gets
ready to leave. Grandmother thinks Jessica’s father sent her there to soften her up so she
would sell the house. Jessica asks Daphne to come home with her, but she won’t leave her
grandmother. Daphne says she will forge grandmother’s signature on her Social Security
checks and then go buy some food and pay some bills.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
concern, fear, worry, guilt
capered, faltering, glowered
Chapter 12 Pages 112-123
Jessica questions her mother about people becoming crazy when they get older. Her
brother says they call it senility. Daphne calls from McDonald’s at ten-thirty that night to see if
Jessica is coming to see her the next day. Daphne tells her the electricity and gas utilities
were turned off that morning. They have a fireplace and candles and they collected enough
bottles to buy hot dogs, bread, and milk. When Jessica arrives the next day, Daphne takes
her for a walk. Jessica brings them some sandwiches and apples to eat. Daphne reveals that
she and Hope were sent to live with their grandmother after their mother died in a car accident.
After grandmother falls asleep, Hope goes outside to find Daphne. Daphne fears Hope is
becoming a little crazy, too, because grandmother has convinced her that she sees her dad in
the woods, and he will be coming home soon. Jessica plans to return to visit.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
quilt, discussing Daphne’s future, worry
arteriosclerosis, awe-inspiring, senility, regenerated, cholesterol, eavesdrop,
marmalade, calico, tabby, Siamese, accusingly
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Chapter 13 Pages 124-136
Jessica visits Daphne’s house at least once a week. They talk, share their worries, and
dream of being an author-illustrator team someday. Daphne won’t face the fact that her
grandmother is getting worse. One day after the three girls have been playing in the woods,
Daphne returns home and finds Grandmother gone. The girls go to look for her and find her
talking to John. When Hope approaches her, she starts to strike Hope and Grandmother loses
her balance and falls. Grandmother blames the girls for scaring John away. After much
coaxing, Daphne convinces her to go back to the house.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
friendship, denial
imitate, prancing, immature, irrational, blustery, clustered, crotchety, rampage,
vigorously, implored, loitered
Chapter 14 Pages 137-149
Tracy questions Jessica as to why Daphne has really been out of school so long.
Michelle, Sherry, Tracy, and Jessica go to the grocery store where Daphne and her
grandmother happen to be shopping also. Grandmother causes a scene over a jar of olives.
Jessica runs out of the store, not stepping in to help Daphne. All the other girls think Daphne
and her family are crazy people. Sherry and Michelle begin to imitate Grandmother. Tracy is
more understanding. Jessica confesses to Tracy how much Grandmother terrifies her.
Jessica talks to her brother about the situation and he encourages her to talk to her mother,
which she finally does. Jessica hopes her mother will let Daphne and Hope move in with her
family. Mother said she can’t do that because she and Ed are thinking of getting married.
Mother is planning on driving out to Daphne’s house to check on the situation.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
frustration, guilt
nonchalantly, quavering wail, sarcasm, falsetto
Chapter 15 Pages 150-158
Jessica’s mother and Ed drive out to visit Daphne, Hope, and Grandmother. She finds
Grandmother to be very sick. The grandmother is taken to the hospital, and Daphne and Hope
are taken to a shelter for children. Mother brings home the kitten Jessica had picked out
earlier and finds Jessica home sick. Jessica is very concerned that Daphne is mad at her for
sending her mother out to check on them and then being placed in a shelter. Jessica calls
Tracy to get her homework assignments and finds out Mr. O’Brien has told the students about
Daphne in hopes that some of them will write to her. Michelle says she was sorry she had
upset Jessica.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
problem solving, guilt, worry
persuaded, shuddering, momentum, conscience-stricken, truants,
malnutrition, pneumonia, suitable, reluctantly, illuminated
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Chapter 16 Pages 159-166
Jessica feels guilty about not writing to or contacting Daphne. Mr. O’Brien announces that
their story has won the contest. Jessica’s mother takes her to see Daphne. Jessica goes in
alone. Daphne cannot be found because it is Sunday and a free day (which means Daphne
can go wherever she wants to around the area). She has gone to her secret place. Soon
Hope comes running up to Jessica. She is crying because she misses her grandmother.
Hope tells Jessica that next week they will be moving to Maine to live with some of their
mother’s relatives. Hope likes them a lot, but she said Daphne wouldn’t talk to anyone. Hope
takes Jessica to Daphne’s secret place.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
guilt, remorse, relief
navigate, linoleum, quivered, remorseful
Chapter 17 Pages 167-177
Jessica finds Daphne who runs away from her. Jessica catches up with her and Daphne
just falls on the ground crying. Daphne says her grandmother died two weeks ago.
Grandmother had hated the hospital and wouldn’t eat. On the day she died, Grandmother told
Daphne if she and Hope hadn’t come to live with her, she would still be on the farm, and John
would be there with her. Jessica begins to cry because she feels responsible for how this all
ended up. Daphne feels that she is really a horrible person because she is glad Grandmother
is dead, and she didn’t want to go back to the house and listen to Grandmother talk about their
dad coming home. Jessica tells her she isn’t horrible because when her parents were
divorced and her dad moved away, she told people he was dead, and he really wasn’t.
Jessica tells Daphne she is her best friend. She also tells her about winning the book contest.
Jessica hopes Daphne’s relatives will bring her back to attend the awards banquet, and
Daphne can stay at Jessica’s house. When the bell rings for the visitors to leave, they walk
back to where Jessica’s mother is waiting. Hope tells Jessica’s mother about the new place
where they are going to live. Hope is very excited. The girls part with a three-fold oath and a
promise to write to each other.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
loss, guilt, confession, acceptance, resolution, new beginning
mulched, wobbled, coiled stalk, menacingly, solemnly
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Theme: Decisions
Shadow of the Wolf, Stone Fox, Snow Treasure, My Louisiana Sky, Walk Two Moons
Generalizations
Humans make decisions every day.
Decisions result in consequences.
Communities, cultures, and nature determine the consequences of decisions.
The ability to make informed, intelligent decisions results in achievement, success, and
even survival.
Humans overcome tremendous obstacles.
Human interaction destroys or conserves nature.
Humans endure physical, emotional, and mental pain.
Family members and friends provide support during times of crisis.
Humans require relationships with other humans or animals.
The human body fights to survive.
People live through extraordinary circumstances.
Concepts
Decisions
Cause and Effect
Interrelationships
Self-Reliance
Interdependence
Integrity
Guiding Questions
What information is necessary to make good decisions?
What are the results of decisions?
What interaction skills are most acceptable?
What kinds of difficulties do humans endure on a day-to-day basis?
How do humans demonstrate caring for one another?
How do humans learn to get along with each other?
What happens when humans don’t get along with each other?
What are acceptable patterns of behavior?
Why are acceptable patterns of behavior different in different cultures?
How can humans overcome tremendous obstacles?
How does human interaction conserve nature?
What kinds of physical pain can humans endure?
What kinds of emotional pain can humans endure?
What kinds of mental pain can humans endure?
What kind of pain is the most difficult for humans to endure?
Why do most humans require relationships with other living beings?
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Introducing the Theme
Introduce the concepts of human frailty, life’s challenges, and the human spirit.
Brainstorm examples of situations and characters from children’s literature of each of
these concepts, e.g. the human spirit of Cinderella, her challenge of the wicked
stepmother, and the death of her father at a young age. Record these situations in a
table or by webbing. Then have students identify the character traits that each
character demonstrated. These are often referred to as skills for life, values, or
character traits. Students may also want to share personal experiences that fit these
categories.
Then, have students discuss the “fairness” or “unfairness” of these situations, perhaps
using a Discussion Web. Explain that the characters in the books in this theme meet
adversity in a variety of ways.
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Character Chart
Name
Human Frailty
Cinderella’s Father
Grade 4 Guided Reading
Date
Life’s Challenge
Wicked Stepmother
Human Spirit
Cinderella
52
Character Traits
kind, hard worker, forgiving,
cheerful
Bettendorf Community Schools 2001-2002
Discussion Web
Name
Date
Unfair
(Reasons Why Not)
Fair
Cinderella
became a
servant after
her father died.
(Reasons Why)
Conclusions:
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Discussion Web
Name
Date
Unfair
Fair
(Reasons Why Not)
(Reasons Why)
Conclusions:
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Sharing the Theme
Name ____________________________
Book
_____________________________________
As you read your book, respond to the following questions.
What life challenge did the main character
experience?
Which of the life skills did the main character
in your book demonstrate? Give examples.
How did the main character change in the
story?
What did the main character in your book
achieve or accomplish?
What things could the main character not
control in his or her life?
What physical, emotional, or mental pain did
the character in your book suffer?
What kinds of relationships did the main
character have with other characters in the
book?
What characteristic do you share with the
main character?
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Grade 4 Guided Reading
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Stone Fox
Synopsis
Little Willy has a big job to do. When his grandfather falls ill, it is up to Willy alone to save
their farm from the tax collector. Willy sees a poster for the National Dogsled Race. He uses
the fifty dollars from his college fund to enter. The race pits Willy against the best dog teams
in the country, including Indian Stone Fox and his five beautiful Samoyeds, who have never lost
a race. Stone Fox wants the prize money as badly as Willy does. Willy’s dog, Searchlight, is
every bit as fast as the competition, and Willy knows the terrain better than anyone. Stone Fox
holds back a little at the beginning of the race and doesn’t catch up to Willy till the finish line is
in sight. A hundred feet from crossing the line, Searchlight’s heart gives out, and she dies.
Stone Fox allows little Willy to carry her across the finish line and win the prize money.
Author
John Reynolds Gardiner
Introduction
Look at the cover of the book. What are the two people doing? Why do you think one
person has five dogs attached to his sled and the other person only one? What is the
difference in the two people? What is the difference in the two kinds of dogs? Where do you
think this story takes place? What do you predict will happen?
Chapter 1 Pages 3-11
Grandfather and little Willy live on a potato farm in Wyoming. Grandfather enjoys playing
tricks on him. One morning, Grandfather doesn’t get up. Little Willy thinks he is playing a trick.
After trying for several minutes to get Grandfather up, little Willy gets his dog, Searchlight, and
they run to get Doc Smith. She says there is probably nothing to worry about. After
convincing her that Grandfather did several things different last night—he went to bed early, no
singing, or anything—the Doc decides to come see him. Little Willy asks many questions as
he is being examined. Doc Smith says it’s good to ask questions. She asks Willy how the
crop is doing this year and if Grandfather owes anyone any money. Little Willy says no. Doc
Smith says there is nothing medically wrong with Grandfather. He just doesn’t want to live
anymore. Little Willy is determined to find out what is wrong, and he will make Grandfather
want to live again.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
worry, uncertainty, making decisions
potato farm, chicken coop, explanation, hitch, examine, medically, discovered,
harmonica, proceeded palomino
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Chapter 2 Pages 12-21
Little Willy is sure he can run the farm and harvest the crop. Doc Smith tells him
Grandfather is getting worse and will die. She encourages little Willy to come live with her, let
Mrs. Peacock take care of Grandfather, and Searchlight should go live with another farmer.
Little Willy says they are a family and will stick together! Little Willy promises Searchlight that
he will never give him away. That evening when little Willy is playing the harmonica for
Grandfather, he asks him if he would like to hear more. Grandfather moves his hands. They
work out a signal for “yes,” “no,” ‘I’m hungry,” and “water.” The next day, little Willy prepares to
harvest the crop. He will need to get a horse to pull the plow. Little Willy opens the strongbox
where Grandfather keeps his money. Upon opening it, he finds only a letter. He did not read
the letter, and he has no idea Grandfather is having tax problems. Since Grandfather is sick,
little Willy has bought things they needed on credit at Lester’s General Store. Little Willy thinks
that Grandfather is sick because he is out of money. It is now the middle of September, and
little Willy must get the crop out. A friend of Grandfather’s volunteers to help, but little Willy
remembers Grandfather saying, “Don’t accept help unless you can pay for it, especially from
friends.” Little Willy remembers he has some college money saved and will use that to buy a
horse. When he tells Grandfather he plans to use his money, Grandfather signals “no.”
Searchlight goes and stands in front of the plow, which gives little Willy an idea. He hitches
Searchlight to the plow. Together they harvest the crop. Because it takes ten days, little Willy
is concerned about Searchlight having enough strength to do all the work. He sells the crop
and shows Grandfather the money. Again, Grandfather signals “no.” It is something else that
is bothering him.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
perseverance, problem solving, uncertainty
harvest, concerned, inspected, credit (money), pleaded, strongbox
Chapter 3 Pages 22-29
Little Willy is ready for winter. He chopped wood, and purchased and stocked food. Little
Willy likes school, but his teacher thinks he asks too many questions. Grandfather wants him
to ask questions in order for him to learn. Every morning, little Willy feeds Grandfather
breakfast and hitches Searchlight up to the sled for the five-mile journey to school. Searchlight
waits for little Willy all day at the school. After school they run errands, go to the post office, or
to the bank. When there are no errands, Searchlight pulls little Willy up and down Main Street.
Little Willy likes to look at the “city slickers.” A little before six each day, Searchlight and little
Willy race down Main Street and out of town. They have run this race a hundred times. It is a
race against time and themselves. Whey they reach the house, they don’t notice a horse tied
up outside. The owner of the horse is standing on the front porch.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
routines, self accomplishment
purchased, outskirts, lunged, gully, oatmeal mush, city slickers, loomed,
forged ahead
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Chapter 4 Pages 30-36
Searchlight growled at the man. He says he is Clifford Snyder from the State Department,
and he is here on official business. He makes little Willy leave Searchlight outside. Mr. Synder
tells little Willy that his Grandfather owes some back taxes. The State Department has been
sending him letters about this. Little Willy says he hasn’t seen any of these letters. Then he
remembers the strongbox. He gets it out, and there are the letters. Grandfather owes five
hundred dollars. If the taxes are not paid, the State will take the farm.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
fear, discovery
ricocheting, twang, snarled, derringer, authority, official, fixed, exposing,
tobacco-stained
Chapter 5 Pages 37-45
Doc Smith says it is stupid for Grandfather not to have paid the taxes—even though he
went broke last year. She and little Willy decide it is owing the money for the taxes that is
making Grandfather sick. Little Willy goes to the bank and shows the papers to Mr. Foster, the
president of the bank. The bank won’t lend little Willy the money to pay the taxes, because he
doesn’t have any way to pay it back. Mr. Foster tells him to sell the farm. Little Willy says he’ll
just grow even more potatoes next year. Little Willy also wants to use the $50.00 in his
savings account. Mr. Foster tells him neither of these ideas will solve the problem. Little Willy
goes home to ask Grandfather if they should sell. He will not give him a signal to answer.
Then little Willy finds a way. There will be a dogsled race in February, and the prize is five
hundred dollars. Lester, the store owner, says Stone Fox will enter the race with his five
Samoyeds. He has never lost a race. Little Willy doesn’t care. He tells Grandfather he will
enter the race, and he will win! Grandfather doesn’t seem so confident.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
determination, doubt
represented, varied, pried, recommended, bobbled, saliva, Samoyeds
Chapter 6 Pages 46-54
Little Willy uses the money in his savings account for the entry fee for the race. Mayor
Smiley thinks little Willy is stupid for entering a race with Stone Fox. The race will be held on
the same five miles little Willy and Searchlight race everyday. Little Willy feels confident he will
win. As he gets ready to leave town, he sees Stone Fox coming. Little Willy says “Howdy,” to
Stone Fox who says nothing back. Little Willy has heard many stories about this giant
mountain man. No white man has ever heard Stone Fox speak. He refuses to speak because
of the treatment his people received from the white man. His tribe had been forced to leave
their land. Little Willy and Searchlight practice going over the course everyday. He only sees
Stone Fox practice once. Only nine sleds entered the race.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
confidence, background information
tonic, blotted, amateur, unison, cunning, moccasins, solid granite, awesome
mountain man
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Chapter 7 Pages 55-61
The night before the race, little Willy goes to Doc smith for more medicine for Grandfather.
She tells him she thinks he is a fool for using his college money on the race, but she will be
rooting for him. Doc Smith gives little Willy a paper to take to Lester at the General Store to
get the medicine. Lester gives little Willy the medicine and tells him he admires him for his
courage to go up against Stone Fox. On the way out of town, little Willy hears dogs barking in
a deserted barn. He goes in the barn and finds five Samoyeds. He holds out his hand to pet
them. A hand hits little Willy in the face. It is Stone Fox. Little Willy says he didn’t mean any
harm. He tells Stone Fox he will be in the race tomorrow, and he will win. He tells him if he
doesn’t win, they will take their farm away. Stone Fox says nothing. Little Willy has trouble
sleeping.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
courage, standing up for yourself
beamed, treacherous, departing, investigate, harm
Chapter 8 Pages 62-68
The next morning, little Willy’s right eye is swollen shut. He fixes Grandfather’s breakfast,
adds more wood to the fire, and hitches Searchlight up to the sled for the trip into town for the
race. People are watching from everywhere. Little Willy is getting lots of support. People
have made bets as to the winner of the race. No one has bet on little Willy. Little Willy feels
like a winner! He greets Stone Fox—no reply. All the sleds are lined up, the pistol is fired, and
the race begins.
Key Concept:
Vocabulary:
self-assurance
jagged, slingshot, abrupt, clenched, knuckles, abreast
Chapter 9 Pages 69-76
Searchlight springs forward, and they are off. Stone Fox starts off last. People think there
must be something wrong with him. Little Willy and Searchlight are going very fast. Because
little Willy and Searchlight are so light weight, they can take the shortcut across the lake. Little
Willy’s lead increases. He is so far ahead, he can’t see anyone behind him. Grandfather’s
farm is coming up ahead. Through the window, little Willy can see Grandfather sitting up in
bed watching for him to pass. He is so excited to see Grandfather sit up. Stone Fox starts to
catch up and pass the other racers. Little Willy can’t believe how Stone Fox is gaining on him.
Little Willy keeps yelling for Searchlight to go faster. The Samoyeds gain the lead; then
Searchlight really starts to run faster and gains the lead.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
determination, joy, confidence
disqualified, shrieked, glimpse, magnificent, effortlessly
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Chapter 10 Pages 77-81
The crowd is cheering as they see little Willy and Searchlight come into view. A hundred
feet from the finish line, Searchlight’s heart bursts. She dies instantly. Everyone is shocked.
Stone Fox says, “Anyone crosses the line—I shoot.” Stone Fox nods to little Willy, and little
Willy carries Searchlight the last few feet across the finish line.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
sorrow, victory
motionless, challenger, massive
Grade 4 Guided Reading
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Snow Treasure
Synopsis
Peter Lundstrom never thought he would become a hero. But that bleak winter of 1940
was like no other. Nazi troops parachuted into Peter’s tiny village and held it captive. Nobody
thought they could be defeated—until Uncle Victor told Peter how the children of the village
could fool the enemy. It was a dangerous plan. Peter and his friends had to slip past Nazi
guards with nine million dollars in gold hidden on their sleds. It meant risking their country’s
treasure—and their lives. (Scholastic, Inc.)
Did this story really happen?
On June 28, l940, nearly a year after World War II broke out in Europe, the Norwegian
freighter Bomma reached Baltimore with a cargo of gold bullion worth $9,000.000. When the
Bomma’s captain asked for a police escort while unloading the bullion, a strange story came to
light. The gold, it was reported, had been slipped past Nazi sentries by Norwegian boys and
girls! Under the very eyes of the enemy, the story went, these children had pulled the gold on
their sleds to a freighter hidden in a fiord off Norway’s coast. So that no harm might come to
the brave children, the captain would not tell the location of the fiord. For many years the story
was believed true. But over 40 years later, there is no proof that it ever really happened. We
do know that the story captures the courage of many children who, caught up in war, have
helped their country in a time of great danger. (Scholastic, Inc.)
Author
Marie McSwigan
Introduction
Look at the cover of the book. What do you see? Who are the men with the rifles? Why
would children be sledding where there are people with guns? Would this be a dangerous
thing to do? Do you think the children will be safe? From reading the title, what kind of
treasure could be in the snow?
Chapter 1 Pages 1-8
Michael, Peter, Helga, and Lovisa are children who live at the Artic Circle. They are
accustomed to the long winters and spend much of their time sledding. Today they are
enjoying sledding and a snowball fight. They see Peter’s Uncle Victor, his favorite relative, and
Rolls, his mate. His uncle is the most successful fisherman in the area. Peter is surprised to
see them and when the four children call to his uncle, he just waves his arm and keeps on
walking. The children decide he is on the way to the Snake, which is a tiny arm of the big fiord
almost entirely hidden by cliffs. Peter and Lovisa are concerned about being late for supper.
When the children tell their parents they saw Uncle Victor, their father jumps up and leaves the
table. He has never been known to leave a meal unfinished.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
friendship, fun, reflection, confusion
protested, spied, typically Scandinavian, swift descent, clamor, accustomed,
surpassed, fiords, bobbing ice cakes, tussle, squatted, scowled, taunted,
pondered, tormentor, idle, pellets, assailant, abruptly, defiant stance, jeered,
ammunition, subdue, quick-witted
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Chapter 2 Pages 9-13
Peter is worried about his father’s reaction when he heard Peter had seen his Uncle Victor.
Peter questions his mother about what could be wrong. She admits it has something to do
with the Nazi taking Poland. Peter is awakened in the night to sounds of banging and voices.
He hears his father tell a man, “They’ll never get our gold.” John Olsen, the clock maker, asks
Peter’s father how much the last shipment amounted to. He says near forty million kroner—
nine million in United States money. Upon seeing Peter, Uncle Victor says it’s the children
who can save the gold. Peter’s father does not want the children involved and in danger.
Uncle Victor continues to talk to Peter about helping his country. Uncle Victor has made his
decision to use Peter.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
confusion, fear, problem solving, excitement
hoarse, bullion, kroner, retorted, protested
Chapter 3 Pages 14-18
Peter returns to bed but doesn’t sleep. He keeps thinking of Uncle Victor and how he, a
small boy, could save thirteen tons of bullion on his sled. Suppose he used all the children.
He tried to figure how long it would take twenty-five boys and girls to carry thirteen tons of gold
on their sleds for twelve miles. On the way to school the next day, Peter sees Uncle Victor
and a crowd of men in the town square building a wooden shed. He tells Peter they are
building air-raid shelters. The schoolmaster tells the children these shelters are being built for
precaution. They will never be used. When Uncle Victor visits the school that day, he shows
the children how to practice an air-raid drill and he forms a club—the Defense Club. Peter is
appointed the president.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
confusion, uncertainty, fear
scheme, navigator, rickety, air-raid shelters, relentless logic, precaution
Chapter 4 Pages 19-23
His father awakens Peter after midnight. Peter thinks the Germans have come. Assuring
him that’s not the case, he and father strap on their skis. He takes Peter to a certain part of
the woods. Peter is told he must remember how to get there and back again on his own. Now
that they are alone, Peter asks his father why Uncle Victor has returned. He is told that the
country is in danger. Foreign mine layers have been sighted off the coast. They need to save
the wealth of the country so the Germans cannot use it to do harm to Norway. Other countries
are sending their gold to the United States. Peter’s father explains that the children would not
be suspected of moving the gold. Because the British and French are mining the coasts, the
gold must be hidden in the cave until Uncle Victor says it’s safe to be moved.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
disbelief, questioning
mantle, deserted, strolling, uppermost, invasion, foreign mine layers,
confidentially, staggering sum, suicide
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Chapter 5 Pages 24-28
Peter and his father reach one end of the track where there is a boxcar with men and sleds
on both sides of it. Peter is told to go with Ole and remember the place. Peter pulls on the
rope attached to the sled. He is pulling forty thousand dollars. As they go on their journey,
Peter recognizes many landmarks. Peter is confused because he is not familiar with a cave
being in the area. Ole tells him it’s one they have made. There are a dozen men in the cave
when they arrive. As other sleds arrive, the men slit open the sack, count, and stack the
smaller packages—each containing money. As of tonight, all the money has been removed.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
cooperation, discovery, amazement
abruptly, shielded, landmark, staggered, hovered, calculation
Chapter 6 Pages 29-32
The next night, Norway is blacked out—not even a light or candle is seen in the houses.
Everyone is afraid. The air-raid shelters are finished, hunting rifles are brought out, ancient
pistols come out of hiding places, and clumsy fowling pieces are lifted from pegs above doors.
Peter’s father leaves to join the regiment. Peter is now the man of the house. He is instructed
not to say anything to anyone about Uncle Victor or the gold. Peter calls a meeting of the
Defense Club, and the girls think it would be fun to play Red Cross nurses. Four hours later,
German parachute troops land in Norway. The next morning, Uncle Victor shares the news
and gathers all the children together.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
impending evil, uncertainty, anticipation
impending evil, hastily, clumsy fowling pieces, regiment, morrow, parachute
troops, merchant ship
Chapter 7 Pages 33-37
Peter is concerned for Uncle Victor’s safety and the gold. Uncle Victor says the children
must let the Germans became accustom to seeing them on their sleds in the direction of the
Snake. The fishermen will find out where the mines are located. Because the country has
been invaded, Uncle Victor instructs the children on what to do if they need to get the gold out
of the country. Today they will begin to move it from the cave to the Snake where they will bury
it in the snow between two trees. The children are divided into two teams. Each team will do
this every other day so they have a day to rest.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
fear, concern for country
authority, irritably, meekly, accustom, gravest, welfare (of the country),
unoffending, ammunition, quarreling, circumstances, belly-grinder
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Chapter 8 Pages 38-42
Peter gets the sword his ancestors used in wars against the Swedes, and all the children
put their hands on it and swear not to say a word if they are caught. Outside, Per Garson is
skiing in crazy patterns in the snow to cover Uncle Victor’s tracks. The children head out
through the woods taking all possible short cuts. Whey they arrive at Thor’s Rock, there is no
cave.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
obedience, trust
pact, scornful, tortured, interruption, pledging yourselves, ancestors, entrant,
solemn wink, eyes screwed, churned snow
Chapter 9 Pages 43-46
Peter cannot find the cave. Lovisa sees Per Garson’s face behind the branches of a tree.
He tells Peter they added the trees to make the area look more real. The cave is behind the
trees. Helga stands guard as they begin to load the sleds with gold and lash them with
clothesline. Before they take off, Per Garson teaches them how to untie the rope. Peter
practices until he learns to do it right. Each of them had to prove they know how to unload the
sleds. Per gives each of them a lunch. For supper, they will be staying at the Holm’s farm.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
commitment, following directions
corridor, shrubbery, sepulchers, lashing, clothesline (used as rope), flat parcel
Chapter 10 pages 47-51
Peter chooses a place to stop for lunch. They eat in silence. They can see the German
freighter anchored in the fiord. They are unloading enormous supplies. The children return to
their sleds and are forced to face the Germans. As Peter tries to sled pass the Germans
without stopping, he has to swerve in order not to hit the marching troops. He drives into a
bank. The German infantry captain says he will turn his men aside so the children can enjoy
their sledding—as he liked to do that as a boy.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
worry, fear
German sentry, sentinels, cluster, solemnness, stoutest, goose-stepping
Chapter 11 Pages 52-57
The children are glad the Germans stepped aside and saved them a possible collision.
They pass other German soldiers as they sled down the mountain. At last, they make it to the
two trees where the gold will be buried. After they each put their gold into a pit, they cover it
with snow and build a snowman. They celebrate the completion of burying the gold with
cheers and back-slapping. They are excited to have fooled the German captain.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
fear, relief
suspicious, tarpaulin, untrodden, burrowed, exulted, mirth
Grade 4 Guided Reading
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Chapter 12 Pages 58-61
Uncle Victor is nowhere to be seen so the children begin their three miles to the Holms’
farm. They again pass the captain who inquires if they had a good time sledding. The children
are glad to arrive at the farm and enjoy all the good food offered them. They share the story of
passing the German soldiers on their sleds and them stepping out of their way. Everyone
enjoyed a good laugh upon hearing the story. Peter tells Mr. Holm that he did not see Uncle
Victor’s boat, and he is concerned for him. Mr. Holm tells Peter the boat is hidden by
camouflage. In the morning, the children are awakened and sent on their way. Mr. Holm is
concerned about the snow holding, as it is late April.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
pride, exhaustion, concern
scuffle, earthenware, famished, rye knakebrod, basin, contentedly, boasted,
spasm of laughter, camouflage, aroused, murmured
Chapter 13 Pages 62-68
For three weeks the children sled down the mountain with the gold. Barracks and other
buildings begin to rise up at the fishing pier. The children are never stopped by the Germans.
The Germans try to make friends with the children, but they are always met with silence.
Concern about the snow staying on the ground long enough to get all the gold down the
mountain is shared by many. Because the smaller children couldn’t pull the heavier loads and
the girls had to take fewer bricks, they haven’t been able to do as much as expected in the
three weeks. They still had at least three more weeks before all the gold will be out of the
cave. Helga and Peter are getting tired and begin to quarrel. Per Garson senses a change in
the weather. It begins to rain.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
changes, disappointment
trudging, invader, turmoil, pier, pickets, ruefully, quarreled, disposition,
almanac, kindling, glint of reflections, forbidding, rebuked, absent-minded,
rheumatism, catastrophe
Chapter 14 Pages 69-74
Peter is upset with the rain and fearful they cannot continue using the sleds. Per now tells
the family his body is telling him the rain will change to snow by midnight. He predicts a
blizzard for the next day. He is right. The blizzard lasts a week. They think of the Germans
and wonder how they are getting along with their hurriedly erected buildings.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
concern, snowbound
despised, cataract, calamity, shuffling gait, sprightliness, liniment, scorn,
pummeled, seeped, crevices, transit, erected, inventive devices, adored.
barometer, mocking.
Grade 4 Guided Reading
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Chapter 15 Pages 75-81
As Peter takes his sled out into the fresh new snow, he has an uneasy feeling about all the
ski marks and snowshoe tracks. There is also another trail near the cave. The children move
over the snow as quietly as possible realizing they may be facing Nazi uniforms inside the
cave. Per is in the cave! He tells them Miles and Ole made the snowshoe trails and he made
the ski trails to confuse the Germans. Peter is impressed with the precautions that are being
taken. The German barracks are not destroyed by the blizzard. The Commandant is upset
with all the snow and being housebound for three days. As the children pass, he taunts them
about learning to be soldiers and polishing his boots. He is also upset that the children won’t
speak to him. The Commandant says all children will return to school on Monday.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
fear, relief, commitment
crystal prisms, subsided, commenced, haunches, precautions, reflection,
disposition, Commandant, taunted, ignorance
Chapter 16 Pages 82-87
The Germans post handbills ordering the people in the village to continue with their lives as
usual. This includes children returning to school. Because the Germans rarely come to the
village, the people were not used to seeing them, and they stay in their houses till the Germans
leave. The village people read the handbills and are concerned about the children returning to
school. Peter and his mother go to see Dr. Aker. Peter’s mother questions him about the
health of the village and the fact that the children returning to school may cause some
concern. The Dr. tells of widespread sickness amounting to an epidemic. During an
epidemic, the school is closed! He is creating a make-believe epidemic.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
fear, helplessness, problem solving
handbills, demoralizes, idle, wistful, consternation, recruit, smorsbord,
andirons, epidemic
Chapter 17 Pages 88-93
A new disease found its way into Riswyk. It attacks the smaller children first and covers
them with small red spots. Peter’s little brother comes down with the disease first. He has to
be quarantined. Dr. Aker goes to the Commandant to explain the situation and tells him the
school must remain closed. The Dr. says the disease could take nine to thirty days to run its
course. All precautions are being taken so that it won’t spread to the troops. Even the
German doctor didn’t want to examine the “infected” children for fear it may spread to him.
Peter and the team continue to bring the gold down the mountain. Helga tells Peter she is
frightened because she thinks someone is watching them.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
overcoming challenges, deception
quarantined, isolating, disinfecting, perspiration, civilian, arouse suspicion
Grade 4 Guided Reading
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Chapter 18 Pages 94-97
Peter needs to warn Uncle Victor about someone spying, but he cannot find his boat.
Peter now wonders if it’s possible that the Germans know what they are doing and are letting
the children do the work for them. Then they would step in the take the gold. Peter knows the
bricks are being taken aboard the Cleng Peerson at night because the snow soldiers are
always on the ground when the children arrive with the gold. The Germans issue a new order
for a curfew. They also take up skiing!
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
worry, frustration
curfew
Chapter 19 Pages 98-102
Peter decides that what Helga saw was the Nazi soldier skiing. Peter is upset with the
Germans coming into their village and telling the people what to do. He is determined they will
not get the gold. Peter talks to Mr. Holm about the feeling of being watched and not being
about to find Uncle Victor. Due to the curfew, Mr. Holm covers himself with a sheet and towel
so he won’t be seen out at night. He goes to Peter’s house to talk to his mother. He feels she
will know where Victor is. The next afternoon, Peter’s mother came to Mr. Holm’s farm on a
bobsled with Bunny and two other children. She has a chart of the Snake in her pocket that
Victor has given her. She and Peter will go there together. Tomorrow, others will also take
babies down to the Snake to throw the Germans off. All the sleds will carry some gold.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
determination, planning
resolved, shuddered
Chapter 20 Pages 103-108
When Peter’s mother reaches the beach, the soldiers stand in line at attention. The
soldiers seem very curious. The Commandant asks if he may pull the sled for her. She
remains silent. He becomes upset with the Norwegians because no one will speak to him.
When they reach the valley, they see all the snow soldiers knocked down, so they know the
gold from last night has been loaded on the boat. Looking at the chart and where the boat
should be, Peter and his mother see nothing. They walk to the edge of the water and see that
the boat is hidden by the vegetation. Even the mast is a towering evergreen. They jump in
fright when a voice speaks to them.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
perseverance, camouflage
curiosity, concentration camps, precise, ruefully, triumphantly, vegetation,
amiss
Grade 4 Guided Reading
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Chapter 21 Pages 109-113
Uncle Victor is surprised to see them. They go on board. Peter’s mother asks about her
husband Lars. They know he arrived in Trondheim, and there has been fierce fighting there.
Peter’s mother tells why they are there—the children think someone is watching them. Uncle
Victor tells them it could have been Rolls or him. They are taking turns standing guard when
the children bring the gold. Rolls tells them he left his guard post for a short time, and it may
be possible someone else was watching them. Victor asks his sister-in-law how much gold
there is left to load. She says the last of the next week will be the end. Uncle Victor says to
hurry, if the Germans catch them, he and Rolls will be shot. He will sail to America as soon as
all the gold is loaded.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
relief, gaining information
fir-screened gangplank, fishing smack
Chapter 22 Pages 114-117
They decide that if someone is watching, they probably don’t know about the gold bars
because they have not been touched. Peter and his mother bid farewell to Uncle Victor.
When they reach the Holm farm, Mrs. Holm is eager to tell them she saw a German soldier on
skis around their farm and in their barn. They didn’t know what to think of the soldier coming to
the farm, but they felt it couldn’t be good for Uncle Victor. They need to hurry and get the gold
moved soon. Late one afternoon when Peter was unloading his sled, he heard breathing.
Looking up, he sees a German soldier.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
mysterious, fright
mystified, disclaimed the heroism, flurry of excitement, menace, loafer,
miser’s cupboard
Chapter 23 Pages 118-123
Peter fears they had been discovered; then Uncle Victor sprang out from behind a bush
and pins the soldier. Rolls is also there with his revolver. They take him to the boat. Peter
goes to the boat with them to see what is happening. Uncle Victor tells the soldier to speak.
He says he is a Pole. The Germans took him and made him serve them. He wants to go to
the United States. He says he follows the children because he is lonely. He went to the farm
to be around the cows. He has a sister in Pittsburgh. Uncle Victor says that this is utter
nonsense.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
surprise, fear, uncertainty
companionway, insignia, hideous, merciless, absurd
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Chapter 24 Pages 124-129
The man tells a story about being a student and being taken by men wearing police
uniforms as he is about to get on a ship for America. While he is being held, the Germans
invade Poland. He discovers he is being held by spies. They call themselves patriots. They
give him a German uniform and tell him he will be an interpreter for the army. He is put on a
train and sent back to his home city. There, he finds all of his family is dead. He says he
watches the children because he is drawn in sympathy to the people because their country
has been invaded.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
understanding, trust
Armistice, legacy, masquerading, valise, tramcars, dialect, influential, patriots,
bribery, corruption, interpreter, surrendered, humiliation, civility
Chapter 25 Pages 130-133
Uncle Victor and Rolls decide they can’t let the boy they captured go free. They will keep
him in the hold. Peter stays on the boat for the night. He, too, wants to go to America. That
night Uncle Victor shows Peter why they have the children build the snowmen. There is no
light to see, so they feel for the snowmen; then they know where to dig for the gold. Uncle
Victor fears the Germans will begin to look for the Polish boy when they discover he is
missing. They hear voices outside the boat and discover squads of Germans already
searching for the boy.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
worry, anticipation.
hold (part of the ship), porthole
Chapter 26 Pages 134-138
Uncle Victor is sure the Germans will not find the boat because it is so well hidden. They
do worry about them finding the ski trail of the Pole, Jan Lasek. The crew for the boat arrives,
and the final gold bricks are brought to the Snake. They find out the Germans are searching
the houses in town for Jan. Before the children are finished building the last of the snowmen,
the soldiers arrive. Peter tells the children to remember the soldiers are looking for a lost
soldier. The soldiers say it is no use to ask the children if they have seen anything because
they won’t answer.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
search, fear
stiffen in fright, burrowed
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Chapter 27 Pages 139-142
The Commandant comes up to the children and asks if they have seen a German
infantryman. Of course, the children don’t answer. He becomes very angry when they don’t
speak. He begins to slash Lovisa’s snowman with his stick and yells about all the countries
going down that oppose the German will. He begins to kick the stump of the snowman and
tells Lovisa she needs to help the Germans who are trying to save her country from hardships.
His foot is only inches from her two bricks. Peter then makes a snowball and throws it at the
Commandant, hitting him in the right ear. Peter runs for the woods.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
keeping the pact, courage
endure, suspicious, hardships, winced
Chapter 28 Pages 143-147
Peter is hoping to cross the Snake and take the ski trail up the mountain. The Germans
have spread out in a circle. They grab him and he falls to the ground. As they take him back
to the barracks, Peter knows he succeeded in distracting the Commandant so he did not
uncover the gold. Peter wonders how much of that his Uncle Victor was able to see. Upon
arriving at the barracks, Peter is locked in a room no bigger than a closet. Peter is very afraid.
His thoughts are on all the different things they might do to him. He remembers Lovisa telling
him about a notice on the school door saying that anyone who was found to know something
about the missing infantryman and not telling would be punished by death. He is brought
some stew and bread. It is getting dark and cold. A soldier returns to take him to the
Commandant.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
fear, uncertainty, hope
tussle, captor, conquerors, court martial
Chapter 29 Pages 148-151
The soldier is Jan Lasek! Peter thought Jan was on Uncle Victor’s boat. He gives Peter a
note from his uncle that says Jan is risking his life for your life. Follow him at all costs. They
ran down the halls and corridors. All at once they were outside flattening themselves against
the wall. They can see the dark figure of the sentry. Jan leads Peter down the beach and right
into the water. Peter thinks he will freeze in the cold water. Numbness begins to overcome
his body. A hand reaches out and grabs him. He is brought into the boat, given something to
drink, and a warm coat is put over him. Rolls is holding him. Jan is at the bottom of the boat.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
surprise, terror, relief, heroism
sodden mass
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Chapter 30 Pages 152-156
The boat is on its way to America. Peter will get to see New York and travel to other
places. He will be admitted as a minor in Uncle Victor’s custody. Uncle Victor explains to
Peter how Jan was taken to the barracks to save him. Jan risked his life because Uncle Victor
told him he would take him to America if he got Peter out. Peter asks about his mother,
brother, and sister. He is told his father may be coming home as soon as the British have
withdrawn their forces from the coast. Peter’s mother approves of his uncle taking him to
America if he is freed from the Germans. Things are now going well on the boat. Jan is
playing his old horn. He is practicing “The Star Spangled Banner.”
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
happiness, separation, freedom
masquerading, magnificent, ballast, bulkhead
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My Louisiana Sky
Synopsis
The bright child of “slow” parents comes to terms with her family’s place in the community.
Tiger Ann Parker is smart; she’s gotten straight A’s and won the spelling bee five years in a
row. People in her rural 1950’s Louisiana community can’t figure out where she got her
brains, because everyone knows that her parents are mentally challenged. Her mother has
the capabilities of a six-year-old, while her father, a good steady worker at the nursery down
the road, can’t manage writing or simple math. Tiger loves her parents, but as she enters
middle school she becomes increasingly aware that her classmates socially ostracize her.
Her affection for her family becomes mixed with shame and anger at their differences. When
Tiger’s loving grandmother, who has always run the household, has a fatal heart attack, Tiger
is invited to live with her glamorous Aunt Doreen in Baton Rouge. Tempted to move away and
reinvent herself, Tiger ultimately comes to appreciate her parents’ strengths and her own as
well. (Kirkus Reviews, Amazon.com)
Author
Kimberly Willis Holt
Introduction
Look at the cover of the book. What do you think the girl is thinking and feeling? What is
the setting of the story? Why would there be a pickup truck in the picture?
Chapter 1 Pages 3-13
Tiger’s parents are “slow.” Her Daddy was passed on through the grades in school, and
Granny taught Momma to read. People in the town wonder why Tiger is so smart. She gets
straight A’s and has won the spelling bee five years in a row. Aunt Dorie Kay comes for a visit
from Baton Rough. Shortly after she arrives, a box is delivered to their house. Tiger is very
excited because they can’t afford to order things that come in boxes. It is an RCA television
set! Everyone is so excited—except Granny who returns to the kitchen. This is a present
from Aunt Dorie Kay. It is June 1, l957. Granny came back into the room after the set is
turned on. She asks Dorie Kay if she doesn’t have better things to spend her money on
besides a noise box. Aunt Dorie Kay tells her lots of people are buying televisions now.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
being different, surprise, excitement
retarded, sophisticated, tailored, honky-tonk, tweed couch, calico curtains,
harelip, kin, spiral peeling, locks (hair), invoice, rabbit-ears antenna
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Chapter 2 Pages 14-27
Aunt Dorie Kay leaves to go back home. Granny seems to resent Aunt Dorie Kay moving
to Baton Rouge. The family goes to church and prepares for the picnic and baseball game.
Daddy says it’s going to rain because he can hear frogs croaking. Grandpa Parker had taught
Daddy that if you listen close enough, the earth talks to you. After Sunday school and church,
they eat their picnic lunch. Tiger sees the girls sitting and talking and wonders why they don’t
want to play baseball. Tiger starts to play ball with the boys. After Tiger smacked the ball and
hit a home run, she decides if she is ever going to be friends with the girls, she needs to stop
playing ball with the boys. She leaves the game and goes to sit on the quilt next to Granny.
Momma has a splinter in her foot, it begins to thunder, and they get in the pickup to go home.
Tiger is torn because she wants to be with the girls, but she wished she would have stayed in
the baseball game with the boys.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
family, nature, decisions
honeysuckle, fetch, gospel songs, reckoned, peppered her sentences, Cajun
words, pulpit, rotated, momentarily, winced, testimony, stanza, fluttered
Chapter 3 Pages 28-35
Monday is laundry day. Granny has to force Momma off the couch and away from the TV
in order for her to help. Tiger was six when she realized her Momma wasn’t the same as the
other mothers. Momma is like a child, and she used to play hide and seek with Tiger and her
friends. Jesse comes to the house and asks Tiger to play ball. Jesse is Tiger’s best friend.
She says no. He teases her about losing her golden swing. Just to prove him wrong, Tiger
goes to play with him. She hit the ball way out in the chicken yard. Jesse wants to know why
she won’t play ball with the boys. Tiger says a girl has to grow up sometime. She excuses
herself to go do laundry, but she really wants to play ball. After supper, there is a commotion
out in the chicken yard. Someone left the gate open, and possums got in and ate some of the
chicks. Tiger admits she had gone in there in the afternoon to get the ball. Granny says she
will have to pay for two dozen chicks. Another good reason why she will never play baseball
again.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
differences, mixed feelings
gumbo pot, scrub board, crocheted dollies, rotation, tarnation
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Chapter 4 Pages 36-49
Tiger will have to earn money to replace the chicks by picking purplehull peas at the
Thompson’s garden. Tiger rides to the Thompson’s with her Daddy, Momma, and Granny.
Once there, Daddy grabbed the hose to start work, and the women start picking peas. Tiger is
embarrassed to be seen like that—bent over picking peas with her bonnet on. Jesse (who
lives there) comes out of his house and pretends to read, but he looks over her way before
going back in the house. He returns to the yard with a dishtowel on his head and a basket and
he pretends to be picking things. It makes Tiger laugh. Mrs. Thompson brings out some
drinks to go with their lunch. Jesse and Tiger sit under a tree and watch the clouds. He tells
her Abby Lynn has a new swimming pool. Before long, Granny calls her back to work. They
all stop work at five o’clock.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
hard day’s work, friendship
chickory, chewing their cuds, moseyed, manicured lawns, scorcher,
chameleon, aluminum chairs
Chapter 5 Pages 50-59
Momma, Jesse, and Tiger float on their inner tubes and have fun in the creek. After drying
off, they go to the bookmobile. Tiger leaves Momma and goes into the gym where boys are
playing basketball and the girls are in a circle talking. Some of the girls laugh as Momma
comes into the gym and calls for Tiger. Tiger hopes this action of her Momma’s won’t ruin her
chances of being invited to do things with the other girls. Momma wants Tiger to kick rocks
with her on the way home. Tiger doesn’t want to. Tiger is thinking she wished she hadn’t
gone in the gym, and for the first time, she wished her Momma wasn’t momma. Momma is so
sad. Tiger kicks a rock. Momma and Tiger enjoy the rest of the way home.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
embarrassment, guilt, shame
viciously, bobbed hair, saddle oxfords, murmurs, snickered, smothered her
laughter, scuffed toe
Chapter 6 Pages 60-66
Momma is glued to the television all day. Daddy is tired of it, and he is happiest working
with his hands busy at the nursery and in Granny’s garden. Before the television came,
Momma waited and watched for Daddy to come home. Now she doesn’t greet Daddy at the
door. Momma’s conversations now always involve something she’s heard on TV. Granny
suggests Tiger watch TV with Momma while dinner is being prepared. Tiger says she doesn’t
want to, and anyone with any sense wouldn’t watch those puppet shows. Granny talks to her
about people being different. Granny suspects that the girls are talking about Momma.
Because Daddy is so upset, Granny restricts Momma’s television watching to two hours a
day. The family routine begins to return to normal. Tiger is worried she won’t get invited to
Abby Lynn’s swimming party.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
disruption of routine, inner conflict
puckered lips, ogled, hypnotic tone, engrossed, chicken gumbo, Formica table
viciously, pouted fig preserves
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Chapter 7 Pages 67-72
For six days after Abby Lynn announces she is having a swimming party, Tiger waits at the
mailbox. Thinking she is not going to be invited, she leaves to go to Jesse’s house taking her
towel and inner tube with her. Jesse’s mother tells her he left for Abby’s party. She is upset
that Jesse would go to the party without her. As she runs down the road, a car stops and
Jesse gets out. He had thought she was invited, but when he got there, Abby tells him she
wasn’t invited. Jesse leaves the party immediately. Tiger wonders why she wasn’t invited—
she hadn’t done anything to the girls. Jesse hugs her and they have their first kiss. Tiger turns
and runs home.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
betrayal, fear, confusion
beau, betrayed, accusing eyes, abandoning
Chapter 8 Pages 73-82
Miz Eula is at the house when Tiger arrives home. She hears Momma and Granny
catching up on the latest news including T.J. marrying 14-year-old Hannah. The sewing
machine is set up and they are working on a dress. Trying on the dress, Tiger thinks of the
kiss between she and Jesse. They are making Tiger three new dresses. The fabric is put
away, and Tiger is asked to help fix dinner. Tiger asks Granny if she is getting her ready for
marrying, as Granny usually doesn’t let Tiger in the kitchen. Granny says no, and that Tiger
has a lot of learning to do. They continue to make dinner. Tiger is glad she has Granny. That
night, Tiger thinks of Hannah, Abby’s party, and her first kiss. Unable to sleep, Tiger goes into
Granny’s room. They talk. Granny assures her that her momma’s love is simple and that she
loves Tiger very much. Tiger falls asleep near Granny. The next day, Tiger is picking
blackberries when she hears her momma scream.
Key Concept:
Vocabulary:
growing up
Simplicity pattern, linoleum, eloped, torso, dainty stitches, virtues, flaxen curls
Chapter 9 Pages 83-97
Momma is squatted over Granny. Tiger runs to the nursery to call for an ambulance.
Granny has died from a heart attack. Momma is distraught. They have to pry her away from
Granny. At home, Tiger wonders if Granny knew this was going to happen. Just yesterday
she had said it “was time” for Tiger to learn to make dumplings. Tiger is hoping she will wake
up and find this is all a dream. Dorie Kay is called, and she arrives to take over making the
arrangements. Tiger is aware of the differences in behavior between the two sisters—
Momma is bawling her eyes out and Aunt Dorie Kay didn’t seem sad at all. The house fills up
with friends and neighbors. Tiger hides under the house to get away from all the people. She
goes over things in her mind that she would have done different. After everyone leaves, Tiger
and Aunt Dorie Kay eat Granny’s left over dumplings. Momma continues to mourn and stay in
bed. No one could get her up. She just lays in bed and cries.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
grief, regrets, losing a family member
dodging limbs, stethoscope, hesitated, squatted, quivered, dissolving trail,
stubbornly, impatient, calmness, casket, obituary
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Chapter 10 Pages 98-104
Granny is buried in a dress that Aunt Dorie Kay had sent to her awhile back. Granny never
wore the dress because she said it was too fancy for Saitter. After the funeral, lots of people
came to the house bringing food, crying babies, and sympathy. Momma sat on the couch and
cried. Tiger goes out to the porch to be with the other women. Daddy stands in the front yard
with the men, and Abby Lynn sat with the other girls under a tree. Many people told Tiger what
a wonderful person her Granny was. Tiger goes down to the creek and meets Jesse there.
He tells her he is sorry he kissed her. He is confused because she doesn’t want to play ball
with him and she doesn’t want him to kiss her. After everyone leaves, Daddy calls for her.
She goes back to the house. He hugs her and tells her he is sorry her Granny died.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
death, inner conflict
coffin, petticoat, pearl buttons, armoire, meager, cubbyhole, gnats, reflection,
gaze
Chapter 11 Pages 105-111
Aunt Dorie Kay tries to show Daddy how to write out checks for the bills. To save Daddy
from misery, Tiger says she needs to be shown, and she will take care of the bills. They work
out a system where Daddy will mow the church lawn and in return, Brother Dave will write out
the checks. Because they need extra help at the nursery, Tiger gets a job there. It will help
her keep her mind off of Granny, and she can earn money to buy the new chicks. Aunt Dorie
Kay takes Tiger to the movies and out for a milkshake. She asks Tiger if she would like to
come and live with her in Baton Rouge.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
changes, decisions
plant cuttings, funeral, matinee, marquee, sophisticated
Chapter 12 Pages 112-118
Aunt Dorie Kay tells Tiger all the new things she could do if she moved in with her. Tiger is
worried what Momma and Daddy will say. Tiger will go for a short visit with Dorie Kay and
Magnolia, Dorie’s colored maid, will come live with Momma and Daddy. Before they leave,
Aunt Dorie Kay convinces Momma to let her wash her hair. Momma still won’t take a bath.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
excitement, changes
rearview mirror, yakking, nonsense, desperately, squeaky clean, turban
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Chapter 13 Pages 119-132
It was an emotional good-bye for Tiger. Aunt Dorie Kay and Tiger have a great trip back to
Baton Rouge. Aunt Dorie Kay talks about her life when she was little and how she had to help
with her sister. Aunt Dorie Kay tells Tiger she goes by Doreen where she lives, and maybe
Tiger should use her middle name—Ann. Aunt Dorie Kay says some people in Baton Rouge
may have a hard time with “Tiger.” She continues to suggest to Tiger that she think about
making some changes—like getting her hair cut. Tiger is very impressed with her aunt’s
apartment and all the fancy things she has. Tiger sees a picture of her momma and Dorie
when they were little. Aunt Dorie Kay breaks down and tells Tiger the story about how her
mother climbed up in a tree and then fell. She hurt her head the worst. That is why she is not
quite right today. Aunt Dorie Kay feels Granny was responsible because she was the one who
left the ladder out. This all came as a surprise to Tiger—that people had kept this secret from
her all these years.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
life style changes, discovering the truth
grimy, sugarcane, bayous, reinvent, country bumpkin, courtyard, chenille
Chapter 14 Pages 133-142
The next morning Tiger wakes up to find Magnolia, the colored maid, in the kitchen fixing
her breakfast. She tells Tiger that Aunt Doreen is at work. Doreen works for the governor.
With Magnolia doing all the work, Tiger becomes bored. Magnolia tells Tiger she can go to the
post office for her. On the way back home, Tiger decides to stop and get her hair cut. She is
gone for so long that Magnolia comes looking for her. Tiger isn’t sure she likes her new look.
Key Concept:
Vocabulary:
change
unfamiliar, gospel song, possessed, caramel eyes, swig of milk, suspicious,
fussy eaters, dome, platinum blond, reflected, impatiently
Chapter 15 Pages 143-154
At supper that night, Tiger and Aunt Dorie Kay talk about many things, including boyfriends.
Tiger tells her about the kiss with Jesse. Aunt Dorie Kay talks about when she moved away
from Saitter. She left because she just wanted more out of life than what was offered there.
She says Granny was upset when she left. The next morning, Tiger packs her suitcase, and
they go to pick up Magnolia for the bus ride back to Saitter. Daddy meets them at the bus
station. He is sure surprised to see Tiger’s hair. Magnolia is surprised to hear him call her
“Tiger.” She thinks her name is Ann.
Key Concept:
Vocabulary:
discoveries
squinty eyed, amazement, mascara, fragile, colored quarters, destinations,
muffled laugh
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Chapter 16 Pages 155-167
The house is a total mess when they arrive. Magnolia says she will start the cleaning in
the morning. After breakfast, Tiger and Daddy leave for the nursery. They put Daddy in
charge of taking care of some special plants. This makes him feel very proud. Tiger and
Jesse eat lunch together. He asks her why she got her hair cut off. They talk about being
blood brothers. When Tiger and Daddy arrive home that day, the laundry is hanging on the
line. Tiger sees Momma’s nightgown has been washed—finally.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
back home, pride
accusing, transferred, betrayed, blood brother
Chapter 17 Pages 168-172
When they went in the house, Momma is peeling potatoes! Momma is finding her way
back. Daddy feels that something is going to happen. There are hundreds of birds settled in
the trees.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
getting Momma back, forces of nature
sizzles, scanned the room, eased, commotion
Chapter 18 Pages 173-185
The next day, Momma is out picking beans. When Tiger and Daddy get to work, they talk
about the weather changing. Daddy says there is a terrible storm coming. They need to save
the plants. Just after all the plants are safe inside, the wind starts blowing. Tiger hurries home
to be with her Momma.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
safety, taking care of things
eerie silence, concentrating, burlap, plumb wore out, peering, reeled around,
transplanting, hothouses, horizon
Chapter 19 Pages 186-192
Tiger finds Momma in the yard with her arms wrapped around a tree clinging to Granny’s
nightgown. She gets her inside. Magnolia and Tiger hurry to get the baby chicks safely inside.
Tiger and Momma play cards. Daddy gets home, and Momma rushes out to kiss him. Tiger
is glad she is home.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
family, togetherness
namesake, porch slabs, pierced, outstretched
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Chapter 20 Pages 193-200
Hurricane Audrey has brought destruction to the area. Aunt Dorie Kay returns and takes
Magnolia back to Baton Rouge. Tiger decided to stay with Momma and Daddy. There is a big
party to celebrate the invention of the Louisiana Lady. Tiger encourages Abby Lynn to play
ball. Life is good in Saitter.
Key Concepts: inner peace, pride
Vocabulary: uprooted, charitable shriveled, squinted
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Study Skills
Similes
Page
Page
Page
Page
Page
Page
4
38
41
48
48
54
Page 55
Page 59
Page 81
Page 103
pretty as a picture in a fancy ladies’ magazine
as freckled as a leopard
as proud as a new poppa
as fast as butter melts on toast
as slow as a caterpillar crawls
She kept looking over each book like other mothers select the best pork
chops.
My face burned like a kerosene lamp.
shaking off her sad mood like old Clem shaking off a swim
It (love) flows from her like a quick, easy river.
Hours passed like minutes as I sat near the creek.
Passages for Discussion
Page
Page
Page
Page
Page
16
17
21
59
87
the frogs are calling the rain
knew how to breathe to the rhythm of the earth
sounded louder than the eleven o’clock train coming down the tracks
Guilt swallowed me whole.
The sight of Momma tore a hole through my heart so big the Mississippi
River could run through it.
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Walk Two Moons
Synopsis
Thirteen-year-old Salamanca Tree Hiddle’s mother has disappeared. While tracing her
steps on a car trip from Ohio to Idaho with her grandparents, Salamanca tells a story to pass
the time about a friend named Phoebe Winterbottom whose mother vanished and who
received secret messages after her disappearance. One of them read, “Don’t judge a man
until you have walked two moons in his moccasins.” Despite her father’s warning that she is
“fishing in the air,” Salamanca hopes to bring her home. By drawing strength from her Native
American ancestry, she is able to face the truth about her mother. (Amazon.com)
Sal discovers her mother has died in a bus accident and visits the scene of the accident
and her burial place.
Author
Sharon Creech
Introduction
Look at the cover of the book. What do you think the title could mean? What feeling do
you get by looking at the illustration? How might the girl in the picture play a part in the book?
What other Native American stories have you read?
Chapter 1 Pages 1-3
After living thirteen years in Bybanks, Kentucky, Salamanca and her father move to Euclid,
Ohio. Before going to their new house, they stop so Salamanca can meet Margaret, a lady
with wild red hair. Salamanca did not want to move, much less meet her Dad’s new friend
Margaret. Looking out an upstairs window in the house next door to Margaret is Phoebe
Winterbottom, a girl who will become Salamanca’s friend. Phoebe has strange things happen
to her. There is a story hidden within Phoebe—Salamanca’s story.
Key Concept:
Vocabulary:
change
caboodle of houses, powerful imagination, peculiar, plaster wall, restoring,
Chapter 2 Pages 4-9
Salamanca’s grandparents come to pick her up to go on a trip to Idaho. It is not a trip she
is eager to take. Gram’s nickname for her is chickabiddy. She is going on the trip mainly
because she wants to see her Momma, who is resting peacefully in Lewiston, Idaho, and her
Dad wants to be alone with Margaret. Her dad did not trust the grandparents to behave
themselves along the way either. They always seem to get into trouble. The grandparents are
nice enough, but just a little peculiar. Salamanca wants to get to Idaho by her mother’s
birthday. She thinks if there is any chance to bring her mother home, it would be on her
birthday. To help pass the time in the car, Gramps asks her to tell them a story. She decides
to tell about her friend Phoebe, her disappearing mother, and the lunatic.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
finding Momma, traveling with grandparents, storytelling
embarrassment, tottery old parents, peculiarity, ornery, stubborn, interrupted,
amusing, extensively, lunatic
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Grade 4 Guided Reading
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Chapter 3 Pages 10-16
After meeting Margaret and her elderly mother, who lives with Margaret, they drive three
minutes to their new house. It is a very small house. Salamanca finds that Phoebe is in her
class at school. The students are very interested in Sal’s long hair. Phoebe thinks Sal is
especially brave. On that day, Sal has just picked up a spider and set it on the outside window
ledge. Sal doesn’t think she is brave, because she is afraid of lots of things. Her two sets of
grandparents are very different. Her mother’s parents are “very respectable.” Sal feels that
most of the time her mother did not fit this image.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
making new friends, bravery, differences
uncomfortable, approximately, miniature, pint-sized, pocket-sized, imaginary,
identical, crammed, whang-doodle, omnipotent, enormous, courageous,
singlehandedly, respectable, defiance, occasionally
Chapter 4 Pages 17-24
Sal is invited to Phoebe’s house for dinner. She is glad to be away from her dad who is
always smiling at Margaret. As they walk by Margaret’s house, Mrs. Partridge, Margaret’s
mother, calls out to Sal. The girls go up to see her. She asks Sal who is with her and then
proceeds to place her hands on Phoebe’s face. She had done the same to Sal when they first
met. Mrs. Partridge can tell things about Phoebe by just feeling her face. Upon arriving at
Phoebe’s house, they find her mother making blackberry pie. Blackberries remind Sal of her
mother. The girls tell about seeing Mrs. Partridge and how she could tell about Phoebe by
feeling her face. Sal tells them that Mrs. Partridge is blind. Phoebe says she is scared of
Margaret, mainly because of her last name (Cadaver), and she looks spooky. Sal did not want
to like Margaret, so she is glad she has reasons not to like her. Phoebe tells Sal that her father
goes to Margaret’s all the time. Phoebe wonders what happened to Mr. Cadaver—and she
may know!
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
making friends, differences, intuition, secrets
gnarled, feather boa, remarkable, automatically, miserable, axe murderer,
absolute
Chapter 5 Pages 25-28
Just a few hours into their trip, Gramps decides to stop and rest. Sal recalls how easy it is
for the two of them to get into trouble. Once when they were visiting Washington, D.C., they
had two flat tires. So they just took two back tires off a senator’s car. Another time, a
policeman stopped him for driving on the shoulder of the road. Gramps thought it was another
lane. At this rest stop, a lady seems to be having trouble with her car. Gramps goes over to
help. He says it’s probably all those snakes in the engine. He ends up pulling all of her hoses
out. The woman has to call a mechanic.
Key Concept:
Vocabulary:
getting into trouble
ruination, shoosh, elbowed, sprunkled tires, damsel, mechanic
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Chapter 6 Pages 29-35
Gram encourages Sal to go on with her story about Phoebe. Just as Phoebe is going to
tell the terrible thing that happened to Mr. Cadaver, her father comes home from work and they
have dinner. Phoebe’s parents reminds Sal of her other grandparents, the Hiddles—very
proper people. Phoebe’s seventeen-year-old sister, Prudence, is also present for dinner.
After dinner, Phoebe tells Sal that Mrs. Cadaver is very strong. She has seen her chop down
trees and lug them across the yard. Phoebe believes Mrs. Cadaver had chopped up her
husband and buried him in the backyard. For some reason this reminds Sal of a time she and
her mother were picking blackberries. Her mother said she would never be as good as her
husband—or the Hiddles.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
manners, actions, speculation, self-doubt
diabolic, divulge, cholesterol, muesli, receptionist, impression, primly,
thumpingly tidy, respectable, capable, rims, indicated, smooched,
tremendously, betrayed
Chapter 7 Pages 36-40
They cross the Illinois State line and stop to cool their feet in Lake Michigan. That night in
the motel, Sal thinks back to her mother leaving. She wonders how she could have done that.
Sal remembers being a mirror of her mother. As they leave the motel the next morning,
Gramps names all the states they will be driving through and says they will stop to see the
Badlands and the Black Hills. They are following the same route Sal’s mother had taken when
she went to Idaho.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
remembering, planning, tracing footsteps
precisely, veer
Chapter 8 Pages 41-45
Sal continues with her story. She tells about the lunatic. Sal was at Phoebe’s house one
Saturday morning. Phoebe’s parents were gone, but they made sure all the doors and
windows were locked when they left. A man about seventeen or eighteen rang the doorbell.
Phoebe said her mother hates it when strangers come to the door. She says one of them
may be an escaped lunatic. The girls decide to go to the door together. They look him over to
see if there is anything strange about him. He wouldn’t look them straight in the eye. He asks
to speak to Mrs. Winterbottom. Phoebe says she can’t come to the door right now and asks if
he would like to leave a message. He says no, leaves, and walks down the street. The girls
wait till he has turned the corner; then they run all the way to their friend’s house.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
strangers, vivid imagination
hankering, gol-dang, escaped lunatic, ambush, vivid imagination
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Chapter 9 Pages 46-52
Phoebe warns Sal about her friend Mary Lou. She says their family is not civilized. Her
family does crazy things. The father is fully clothed and reading a book in the bathtub. On
school sports day, the mother and father became involved with the games for the little
children. Sal thinks it might be nice to have parents that are involved with activities. The girls
tell Mary Lou about the “mysterious potential lunatic” that came to the door earlier. Mary Lou’s
cousin Ben is lying on the bed staring at Sal. Sal finds him strange. Shortly, he mashes his
lips into her collarbone and runs out of the room. This bothers Sal. Upon arriving back at
Phoebe’s, she tells her mother about the “potential lunatic.” Mrs. Winterbottom is upset with
the news and says they should not mention this to her father. Out on the porch the girls find a
white envelope. The message inside read: Don’t judge a man until you’ve walked two moons
in his moccasins. They show the note to Mrs. Winterbottom who becomes upset about it.
When they tell Mr. Winterbottom about it, he says it must be for one of the girls.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
differences, mysterious happenings
civilized, temporarily, pandemonium, participate, potential, peculiar, clutched,
moccasins
Chapter 10 Pages 53-58
Gram and Gramps think Mrs. Winterbottom isn’t a very happy person, and she sounds a
little screwy. They stop in Madison, Wisconsin, to walk around and get something to eat. Sal
wishes they would hurry up and get back on the road. Gram is encouraging Sal to send some
postcards to people, because that is what her mother did when she went out west. Not long
after they get back on the road, Gramps stops again at “The Wisconsin Dells.” He tells Gram
and Sal to go walk around while he takes a nap. The two of them end up watching a group of
Native Americans dancing and beating drums. When Sal realizes Gram isn’t with her, she
finds Gram in the middle of the circle dancing.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
patience, Indian culture
screwy, shrapnel, gullible, windsurfing, pastrami, kosher, shut-eye, primitive,
elegant, concession stand, enormous
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Chapter 11 Pages 59-69
The next day, Sal is still scared about Gram leaving her to join the dance. Ever since her
mother left, she feels everyone is going to leave her. She continues with Phoebe’s story. The
next message Phoebe received said: Everyone has his own agenda. Phoebe thinks the
messages are spooky and is fearful someone is watching her house. Mary Lou feels the
messages are for Phoebe’s father. When the girls go to the drugstore, Phoebe and Sal see
“the lunatic.” By the time they tell Mary Lou, he is gone. Ben is still bothering Sal and
questions her about her mother. He also asks her if people touch each other at her house,
because she flinches every time someone touches her. Sal thinks about what Ben said, and
realizes her father doesn’t hug her as much anymore. When they arrive home, they see Mrs.
Cadaver dumping a pile of leaves on the sidewalk. Ben asks if she wants any help. The girls
go on to Phoebe’s house, but they see Ben pick up an axe off the sidewalk, and go inside with
Mrs. Cadaver. Phoebe shows her mother the latest message. Ben leaves Mrs. Cadaver’s
house all in one piece, and Sal talks with her father when she gets home. She sees that he
has been crying.
Key Concepts:
fear of abandonment, mysterious message, suspicious person, lack of
closeness, fear for safety
Vocabulary:
scenery, message-leaver, intriguing, conducting, two moons, defensive,
accumulated, obvious, odd sensation, rummaging around, nudged, flinch,
thumpingly stiff, miniature, tinkering
Chapter 12 Pages 70-79
Gram says she agrees with the message—that everyone has their own agenda. She feels
people are too concerned with their own problems and don’t worry about others. A detour
takes them through Pipestone. There, they watch American Indians making pipes out of
stone. They all try smoking the pipes. For some reason the smoke reminds Sal of her
mother—disappearing into the air. Gramps buys two peace pipes. One is for him, and one is
for Sal. He says they are not for smoking, but for remembering. Every night when they go to
bed, Sal is reminded of the bed Gram and Gramps have back home. It was the same bed his
parents had slept in and where all his brothers were born. Gramps says he is going to die in
that bed, and the bed will know everything about him. Sal wonders if she will ever have a bed
like that.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
concern for others, sense of loss, remembering
philosopher, elaborate, thunking, quarry, embroidered, aspen grove
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Chapter 13 Pages 80-83
Sal feels is it time to tell Gram and Gramps about Mr. Birkway. He is her new teacher at
school who she thinks is mighty strange. During the first class, he collects the journals the
students had kept over their summer vacation. Most of the students are hoping he isn’t really
going to read them. When he comes to Sal, he calls her a “deprived child,” because she didn’t
have a chance to write one.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
new teacher, journal writing
dramatically, whomping, aisles, manna from heaven, malevolent, slathered,
clobbering, deprived
Chapter 14 Pages 84-90
Sal is back at Phoebe’s house. Before her mother leaves, she tells the girls to be sure to
call the police if they see anyone strange around the house. From the window, they watch
Mrs. Cadaver hacking away at her trees and shearing off the top of the hedge. A car pulls into
her driveway, and Mr. Birkway gets out and hugs her. He helps Mrs. Cadaver remove and
replant a bush. Phoebe thinks maybe there is something hidden under the bush, like a
chopped-up Mr. Cadaver. Phoebe thinks that Sal and her father should not go to her house
anymore. Sal has noticed that when her father is at home, he seems sad, but when he is at
Margaret’s, he smiles and laughs. When Phoebe’s mother comes home, they notice that she
looks like she has been crying. The girls heard her ask Prudence if she thought she lead a tiny
life. When Sal arrives home, there is a package from Margaret. It is a sweater.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
strange behavior, self doubt
puttering, slogging, slashing, sheared, rhododendron bush, prodding, gouged,
tunneled, notion, retrieved, critical
Chapter 15 Pages 91-97
It is so hot in South Dakota that Gramps takes a detour to the Missouri River. There, they
undress and go wading in the river. As Sal’s hair floats on the water, it reminds her of her
mother’s long hair. Her father had not wanted her mother to cut it, but her mother had cut her
hair just before she left. Sal still has it in a plastic bag, along with her postcards. A teenage
boy appears up on the bank and informs them they are on private property. He has a knife
with him. The boy proceeds to go through Gramps pants pockets and finds his wallet. Gram
feels something bite her leg, grabs it, and pulls up a snake. Gramps carries Gram out of the
water. They use the knife to make a slit across Gram’s leg, the boy begins to “suck and spit”
her bloody leg. He directs them to the nearest hospital where she spends the night. Gramps
offers the boy fifty dollars for helping them, but he refuses to take it. The boy stays in the
waiting room with Sal. He tells her it really wasn’t private property.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
remembering, fear, rescue, trust
muscular, bowie knife, sheath, cautious, embedded, hovered
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Chapter 16 Pages 98-101
The next morning they leave the hospital. Sal hears a bird singing in a tree. It reminds her
of home. She used to have a singing tree in Bybanks. The day after her mother left, Sal had
gone to the singing tree, waiting for it to sing. It never sang. Sal felt like she had been in a
hurry to keep going on the trip, but now she feels different, that they can slow down. She
continues her story about Phoebe.
Key Concept:
Vocabulary:
memories
cantankerous, warbling, poplars, trills and warbles
Chapter 17 Pages 102-106
A few days later Phoebe questions Sal as to why she has not told her father what they
observed with Mrs. Cadaver and Mr. Birkway. Sal watches Mrs. Winterbottom as she tries to
get the girls to eat some brownies. Sal thinks she is feeling sad, and Prudence is just talking
about her own “agenda” and not being observant of her mother. Sal thinks back to the last
time she was with her mother. Her mother asked her to go for a walk in the fields, and Sal
wouldn’t go. She wishes she could take it back. Another message is found on the steps. It
says: In the course of a lifetime, what does it matter? Sal thinks about this message all the
way home. She thinks that if your mother leaves you, that would matter to your life.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
regret, memories
crotchety, sullen
Chapter 18 Pages 107-113
Sal takes time to talk about her father. He had three brothers who all died. Sal tells all the
good things about her father. He loves the earth and nature. He never raises his voice.
Mother left because she said she feels so rotten in comparison. She needs to get all the bad
out of her heart. Her father said she could do that here, but she said she wouldn’t be able to
think. She left Sal a note because it was too painful to say good-bye. It nearly killed her father
when she left. After he found out she wasn’t returning, he happened to be grouting between
bricks on the fireplace. He wrote her name in the new cement—not Sugar, but her real
name—Chanhassen. Three weeks later, he put the farm up for sale and was receiving letters
from Mrs. Cadaver who helped him find a job. Sal didn’t want to move, in case her mother
may come back. She wishes her father wasn’t such a good man.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
family, personal qualities, lack of self-esteem, change
prowled, alternators, carburetors, cement grouting, colossal temper tantrums
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Chapter 19 Pages 114-120
Sal continues on with the story. She tries to tell her father what she and Phoebe know
about Mrs. Cadaver. When she talks about it, it makes her sound jealous. She suggests he
just forget that she ever mentioned anything. Observing Mr. Birkway in class made her think of
her mother. She, too, was lively and full of passion for words and stories. Sal hopes Mr.
Birkway is in love with Margaret. Sal is given a special assignment to write a mini journal. It is
to be about something that interests her. On the way home from school, the girls see the
lunatic. Phoebe pushes him, and they run home. She tells her mother. She seems more
scared than the girls. Nothing more happens that evening, and no one calls the police.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
comparing personalities, fright, uncertainty
plunged, cavorted, mopey, sullen
Chapter 20 Pages 121-128
As Sal thinks of things to write about in her journal, her thoughts always come back to her
mother because everything is connected to her. Sal tells about once when her mother was
pregnant, she ate some blackberries, threw her arms around the trunk of a maple tree, and
kissed it. Sal calls it the blackberry kiss. Ben tells her he can read palms. He holds her hand
for a long time, then tells her he really can’t read palms, but she didn’t flinch once while he was
holding her hand. Sal is confused about him. He walks her all the way to Phoebe’s house and
then kisses her ear before he leaves. Phoebe is upset because she found three envelopes:
one for Phoebe, one for Prudence, and one for their father. Her mother has written them.
Phoebe’s note says to keep all the doors locked, Prudence’s note says to fix spaghetti for
supper, and their father’s note says she will call him in a few days. They do not know where
she has gone. When Sal arrives at home, her father is looking at the photo album. She tells
him Phoebe’s mother went away. He says people usually come back.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
memories, confusion, uncertainty, missing parent
flinches, pregnant, canopy of branches, shivers, suspicious, independent,
mythology, reassurance
Chapter 21 Pages 129-130
At school the next day, Phoebe keeps very quiet. She wants Sal to spend tomorrow night
at her house. Mr. Birkway gives the students fifteen seconds to draw their soul. Many of the
pictures are similar. One has a tear in it, and Sal figures that one is Phoebe’s. There are two
alike—a circle with a large maple leaf in the center, the tips touching the sides of the circle.
One of the drawings is Sal’s and the other one is Ben’s.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
deep inner thoughts, mysterious likeness of two drawings
soul, distinct design
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Chapter 22 Pages 131-141
Sal is uneasy about the happenings at Phoebe’s house. They remind her of when her
mother left. Phoebe finds her mother’s sweater on the kitchen chair. She wonders why her
mother would leave that behind. When Sal’s mother left, Sal brought in her mother’s favorite
chicken from the coop and asked her father why her mother would leave the chicken. Sal
really wonders how her mother could leave her. At school when Phoebe says she thinks she
is having a heart attack, it reminds Sal of the time her dog had caught a rabbit and it died.
Students question Phoebe as to the whereabouts of her mother. She tells them she is in
London. That evening Phoebe goes through the house looking for clues of her mother’s
disappearance. Prudence tells her their mother was not kidnapped. She had time to write a
note, and make and label dinners in the freezer for the family. Phoebe feels her sister and
father don’t care about her mother leaving as much as she does. Mr. Winterbottom makes
some calls to her mother’s friends to see if they have any information as to where she went or
why she left. When Sal discusses this with her father, he reminds her that her mother wanted
to leave.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
sadness, loneliness, unanswered questions,
peer, denied, malinger, frenzy, cardigan, fidgety, skittish, genuine, coaxed,
console, amnesia, unidentifiable, lather, retrieved, farfetched, foresee
Chapter 23 Pages 142-151
Gramps informs them they are almost to the Badlands. They stop to look around and rest.
Sal’s mother had sent her a postcard from the Badlands. It said, “Salamanca is my left arm. I
miss my left arm.” Seeing a pregnant woman reminds Sal again of when her mother was
pregnant. Three weeks before the baby was due, Sal was in the woods sitting in an oak tree
and the branch snapped. She fell to the ground. Her mother ran to pick her up. She was
taken to the hospital with a broken leg. The baby was delivered that night. The umbilical chord
was around its neck and it was strangled. Sal’s father kept telling her it wasn’t her fault. She
didn’t believe him. Sal suggested the name “Tulip” for the baby, and it was buried in a little
cemetery near the aspen grove. Sal tries to imagine her mother being there at the Badlands
and wondered if she thought of her.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
guilt, death, separation
raspy breathing, astonished, gorges, treacherous ravines, outcroppings,
world-weary, walloping, tottered, wail, umbilical chord, spire, plummeted,
careening
Chapter 24 Pages 152-156
After leaving the Badlands, Gramps, Gram, and Sal spent the night outside Wall, South
Dakota. They are heading for the Black Hills and Mt. Rushmore. Sal continues her story.
Phoebe finds the fourth message: You can’t keep the birds of sadness from flying over your
head, but you can keep them from nesting in your hair. Phoebe looked like a whole family of
birds was nesting in her hair.
Key Concept:
Vocabulary:
uncertainty
gurgled, tentatively
Grade 4 Guided Reading
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Chapter 25 Pages 157-163
Sal and Phoebe went to Mary Lou’s for dinner. It is always an experience to go to her
house. Phoebe gets into a discussion about the food containing too much cholesterol, starch,
and fried foods. Phoebe tries to convince her father to call the police to report her mother
missing. Phoebe says that later, when she went to say good night to her father, she thought
he had been crying.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
causing problems with dinner, fear, worry
optimistic, miscellaneous, descended, chaotic flurry, cholesterol, peculiarly,
vegetarian, unadulterated, impulse, frilly apron
Chapter 26 Pages 164-169
Phoebe arrives at Sal’s to spend the weekend. She takes out her frustrations on Sal by
doing a lot of complaining. After dinner, the girls go to Mary Lou’s house. Ben is sympathetic
to Sal about Phoebe driving her crazy. Sal resists the urge to touch Ben’s face. Mary Lou is
gone—she is on a date. Sal is feeling Phoebe’s pain for a “missing mother.”
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
loneliness, sadness, empathy
extension, sarcastic, slouch, sympathetic, potential, extensively, peculiar,
stillborn, sensation
Chapter 27 Pages 170-176
Phoebe learns that her mom called Mrs. Cadaver. Mrs. Cadaver has left till Monday, but
she leaves a note telling Phoebe’s family that Norma is okay. Phoebe decides she will not wait
any longer; she will go to the police herself. At school, Phoebe gives her report about
Pandora. Sal thinks back to when the baby died. She thinks that there must be a box like
Pandora’s with all good things in it. If there is one bad thing in it, it would be Worry. After
discussing this part of the story with Gram and Gramps, it occurs to Sal that maybe her
mother’s leaving didn’t have anything to do with her. It may be separate. People don’t own
their mothers.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
decision making, good and bad that happens to people
besieging, quivering, power of persuasion, curiosity, forbidden, irritate, Envy,
plagues, shebang, of gremlins
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Chapter 28 Pages 177-180
When they reached the Black Hills, there are only two days left till Sal’s mother’s birthday.
They need to hurry, and they have a long way to go. Phoebe recalls her mother telling her
about the Black Hills and how they are sacred to the Sioux Indians. She wonders if the Sioux
are sad to see white men’s faces carved on their sacred hill. By late afternoon they are in
Wyoming. Just when Sal feels they will make their destination on time, Gramps says he is
stopping at Yellowstone.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
Black Hill history, anticipation
walloped, somberly
Chapter 29 Pages 181-188
Phoebe goes to the police the same day Mr. Birkway read the poem to the class about the
tide and the traveler. This poem convinces her to go to the police. The police think she is
kidding when she says she wants to report a murder or kidnapping. A woman takes her to a
room where she can tell the story. Phoebe tells the policeman about her mother disappearing,
the note from Mrs. Cadaver, Mrs. Cadaver’s missing husband and the rhododendron, and
about the lunatic and the mysterious messages. The policeman, Sergeant Bickle, asks her
lots of questions. She also shows him the unidentifiable hair strands she has saved. The
Sergeant leaves the room for a while and when he returns, Phoebe’s father is with him. Mr.
Winterbottom looks embarrassed that Phoebe is talking with the police. They go home.
Phoebe declares her mother’s love for her and just cannot think her mother would leave her
without an explanation. Her father begins to cry.
Key Concept:
Vocabulary:
taking action
barreling, analyzed, coincidence
Chapter 30 Pages 189-197
Phoebe calls Sal and tells her she has to come over now, it’s urgent. It is late and dark.
Phoebe is waiting for Sal in front of Mrs. Cadaver’s house. There are no lights on in the house.
Phoebe knows Margaret has left for work. The girls go up on the porch and find the front door
unlocked. They go in. They are startled when someone calls to them. It is Mrs. Partridge.
She is sitting in the dark. She is reading a book titled Murder at Midnight. The girls tell her
they are just passing by and thought they would stop in and see how she is doing. Back at
home, Sal remembers Phoebe going through some of the same things she had done when
her mother left. Her mother told her if you visualize something happening, you can make it
happen. Sal visualizes the phone ringing, her mother coming back on the bus, and her
coming through the door. It doesn’t happen. Sal spends a sleepless night thinking about the
poem from class and Mr. Winterbottom crying.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
searching for clues, inner thoughts, remembering
reluctant, ghastly, grandiful room, noggin, bureau, fringed shawl, visualize,
presto
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Chapter 31 Pages 198-204
Phoebe arrives at school the next day with a new message: We never know the worth of
water until the well is dry. Mr. Birkway tells the students he has read their journals and
everyone has something magnificent to say. The students are fearful of having their journals
read aloud in class. He tells them he will change the names mentioned in the journals. Even
so, the students are not very pleased as their journals are read. After school, the girls go to
see Sergeant Bickle. They share the new message with him and give him some hairs that
were collected from Mrs. Cadaver’s house. He seems upset that the girls continue to come
see him. Phoebe yells at him and leaves his office. He follows her. While he is gone, Sal has
a chance to look at the family pictures on his desk. One is a family picture that includes the
lunatic!
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
fear, concern for revealing inner thoughts, frustration
peculible, magnificent, squirming, distinctly
Chapter 32 Pages 205-216
Gram, Gramps, and Sal arrive in Wyoming and Yellowstone Park. Gram wants to see Old
Faithful. That night, Grams asks Sal to go on with the story. When Sal finds out the Sergeant
is related to the lunatic, she runs out of the police building and is on her way to Phoebe’s when
she sees Mrs. Partridge coming out of her house all dressed up. A car stops to pick her up,
and it turns out to be her son—Mr. Birkway. Sal finds out that he and Mrs. Partridge are twins.
Sal cannot find Phoebe the rest of the day. In class the next day, Mr. Birkway continues to
read the students’ journals out loud. One he chose was Sal’s. He read about the blackberry
kiss and the suspicion about Mrs. Cadaver murdering her husband.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
discovery, frustration, concern, embarrassment
redible, ulcers, gazing nonchalantly, hypnotized
Chapter 33 Pages 217-221
Sal continues with her story and tells about Mr. Birkway coming to Phoebe’s house. He
has Phoebe’s journal with him. He explains to Phoebe that Mrs. Cadaver is his sister and that
her husband is dead—killed by a drunk driver. Mrs. Partridge was also in the car, and she lost
her sight. Sal tells Phoebe she thinks she knows who the lunatic is.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
finding the truth, understanding
slaughter, vaporizing, devised, frantically, hoarse
Chapter 34 Pages 222-225
The next day, they all go see Old Faithful. Grams is especially happy to see it. They head
for Idaho.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
happiness, excitement
mound, scrabbly, enclosure, erupt, radiator, spout
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Chapter 35 Pages 226-232
Going through Montana, Sal is concerned about the winding and hilly roads. She continues
her story, as she wants to finish it today while they are traveling. Phoebe and Sal decide to
track down Sergeant Bickle’s son in order to discover the whereabouts of Phoebe’s mother.
At school, Mr. Birkway apologizes for hurting anyone by reading his or her journal, and Ben
tries to get close to Sal and kiss her. Before leaving school, Phoebe and Sal call all the
“Bickles” in the phone book in order to find the Sergeant’s home. That night, Sal calls his
home, pretends to be a friend of his son’s, and says she has a book of his. The Sergeant
gives her Mike’s address.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
fear, problem solving, discoveries
foothills, piddly railing, dinger, ogling, defying, transplanted, badgered,
consecutive, crotchety, wailed, disguise, muffled
Chapter 36 Pages 233-235
On Saturday, Phoebe and Sal take the bus to Chanting Falls to confront Mike. Ben is at
the bus stop and says he is going to Chanting Falls to a hospital to visit a friend. The girls are
directed to Mike’s room in the dormitory. They become fearful and decide to leave. Across the
lawn, they see Phoebe’s mother kissing the lunatic.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
fear, confusion, surprise
percolating, reception desk, puny, milling around
Chapter 37 Pages 236-238
Phoebe is stunned and angry. Sal cannot watch, so she runs away and ends up at a
hospital. She decided to ask if Mrs. Finney, Ben’s mother, is a patient. She finds out that she
is on the psychiatric ward. Sal finds Ben and his mother outside on the grass. Sal thinks of
her mother after she came home from the hospital. Ben and Sal follow his mother back and
forth across the lawn, but she doesn’t seem to notice them. This reminds them of Mr.
Birkway’s drawing of the vase and two heads facing each other. Ben kisses Sal.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
discoveries, remembering
impulse, psychiatric ward, fidgeted, sash, rambled
Grade 4 Guided Reading
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Bettendorf Community Schools 2001-2002
Chapter 38 Pages 239-242
Gram wants to know about Phoebe and her mother kissing the lunatic. Sal catches up
with Phoebe at the bus stop but doesn’t tell her about seeing Ben. Phoebe says her mother
and the lunatic sat on the bench, tossed rocks, and spit on the grass. Phoebe is very upset.
When she arrives home, Prudence says her mom has called. She said she is coming home
tomorrow, she will be bringing someone with her, and they are not to make any prejudgments.
Sal is anxious to share all her news with her father. When she arrives home, he is sitting on
the porch with Margaret. She finally tells her father the news.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
inner conflict, uncertainty
plonked, prejudgments, agitated, vanish
Chapter 39 Pages 243-250
Prudence and Mr. Winterbottom spend time cleaning the house. Phoebe doesn’t tell her
father what she saw. Phoebe wants Sal there when her mother arrives. When she does
arrive, she introduces Mike to the members of the family. Phoebe is shocked to see her
mother—she looks totally different, and Mike, the lunatic, is standing in their living room.
Phoebe informs her father that this is “the lunatic.” Mr. Winterbottom is very confused about
Mike’s relationship with his wife. Mrs. Winterbottom finally announces that Mike is her son.
She had given him up for adoption before she and her husband ever met. Mr. Winterbottom is
concerned that his wife couldn’t tell him about this before. Mr. Winterbottom accepts and
welcomes Mike into the family. Phoebe confesses to her mother that she is mad at her. The
girls leave just as Mrs. Partridge is placing a white envelope on the steps.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
understanding, confusion, acceptance
stark raving mad, ransom, trembled, infinitely sad, motionless
Chapter 40 Pages 251-255
Gramps calls out that they are in Idaho. Sal has hopes they will make it for her mother’s
birthday. Gram seems to be more tired than usual. Gramps wants to hear more about Mrs.
Partridge and why she is leaving the envelope on the porch. Mrs. Partridge says she has been
bringing the messages as a grandiful surprise—like fortune cookies. Phoebe finds out Mrs.
Partridge has met her brother, because he went to her house once by accident. Sal gets up
the courage to go talk with Margaret and finds out how she met her father. Ben is waiting for
Sal when she gets home. He gives her a “blackberry” kiss. Sal tells Gram that the story is
over. Sal tells Gramps that Gram looks a little gray.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
hopeful, solving mysteries, concern
bountiful, quizzical, peculible, tottered
Grade 4 Guided Reading
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Bettendorf Community Schools 2001-2002
Chapter 41 Pages 256-263
Gramps and Sal take Gram to the hospital. She had a stroke and is unconscious. As Sal
waits in the lobby, her thoughts go back to past events. It is after midnight before Sal sees
Gram. Gramps gives Sal the car keys so she can go on to see her mother. She kisses Gram
goodbye and heads down the highway. As she drives down the treacherous road with its
hairpin turns, she watches for the bus that is somewhere on the side of the mountain. Sal
pulls off at an “overlook” which is a place for drivers to stop and gather their wits from driving
on the curvy roads. A man comes over and asks where the other people are that “should be”
traveling with her. He points out the bus down below that skidded off the road a year ago. He
says only one person survived.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
sadness, worry, fear, discovery
stroke, intern, dissuade, unconscious, nuzzled, monitor, treacherous, hairpin
turns, metallic
Chapter 42 Pages 264-268
Sal makes her way down the hill to examine the bus more closely. As she returns to her
car, she notices a sheriff. He saw her crawling on the bus. He asks her where the “others”
are. She tells him the story about her grandparents being at the hospital and that she drove
the car there. He asks why she is in Lewiston, and she tells him the whole story. The sheriff
takes her to the house of the caretaker who works at the jail. The sheriff asks for directions
from the caretaker and then takes Sal to the cemetery where her mother is buried. The birds
are singing. She kisses the tree near the tombstone and wishes her mother “Happy Birthday.”
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
gathering facts, obtaining closure
grotesquely, legitimate, caretaker’s house
Chapter 43 Pages 269-273
The sheriff drives Sal back to Coeur d’Alene where her grandparents are. She asks the
sheriff about the bus accident. He tells her the only person that made it out alive was Mrs.
Cadaver who was sitting next to Sal’s mother. They did not know each other when they were
passengers on the bus. Sal’s father had gone to visit Mrs. Cadaver in the hospital after the
accident to find out more about his wife. Margaret had told Sal that her father holds on to her,
because she held her mother’s hand in her last moments. The sheriff takes her to the
hospital. Gramps has left an envelope for her with the name of the motel that he has gone to
and says that Gram died. They drive to the motel. He is very sad.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
filling in the missing pieces, sadness, grief
maneuver, endangering, arrangements
Grade 4 Guided Reading
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Bettendorf Community Schools 2001-2002
Chapter 44 Pages 274-280
Sal is back in Bybanks living on the farm with her father. She rethinks many things that
have happened in her life. She understands now why her father did not take her to Idaho when
her mother died. She is very philosophical in her thoughts. All of their friends will be visiting
them on the farm next month. She is hoping for blackberry kisses from Ben.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
remembering, understanding, acceptance
grief-stricken, evolved, axe-wielding, hayloft
Grade 4 Guided Reading
98
Bettendorf Community Schools 2001-2002
Study Skills
Similes
Page
6 Sometimes I am as ornery and stubborn as an old donkey.
Page 13 as yellow as crow’s feet
Page 26 My grandparents can get into trouble as easily as a fly can land on a watermelon.
Page 53 Being a mother is like trying to hold a wolf by the ears.
Page 54 My father once said I was as gullible as a fish.
Page 65 “Hmm,” he said, like a doctor examining a patient.
Page 178 All this driving is making me crazy as a loon
Page 218 I felt like we were lambs being led to the slaughter.
Page 234 We stood our like pickles in a pea patch.
Passages/Sentences for Discussion
Page
Page
Page
Page
4
4
6
7
Page
Page
Page
Page
Page
Page
Page
Page
Page
8
8
8
11
11
12
14
15
19
Page
Page
Page
Page
Page
Page
Page
Page
Page
39
53
53
59
80
225
225
226
242
We’ll see the whole ding-dong country!
My father said that Gram couldn’t read maps worth a hill of beans.
I might as well try to catch a fish in the air.
My father says I lean on broken reeds and will get a fact full of swamp mud one
day.
Spin us a yarn.
I certainly do know heaps of stories.
There was certainly a hog’s belly full of things to tell about.
tiny, squirt trees
It wasn’t enough grass to keep a cow alive for five minutes.
It looks as if we tried to squeeze all the animals into the chicken coop.
People were acting as if I had singlehandedly taken on a fire-breathing dragon…
They are as unlike my grandparents Hiddle as a donkey is unlike a pickle…
Mrs. Partridge laughed a wicked laugh that sounded as if it were bouncing off
jagged rocks.
barrel straight on through Minnesota
chewing up the road
you’re dancing on a hot griddle all the time
eating up the road
I thought he might have a few squirrels in the attic of his brain.
“We’re gonna eat up Montana.”
I’m putting this pedal to the metal.
Sometimes the road snaked along the side of a cliff…
I was bursting at the seams…
Grade 4 Guided Reading
99
Bettendorf Community Schools 2001-2002
Theme: Humor
Junie B. Jones Is Captain Field Day, Amber Brown Goes Fourth,
Class Clown, Hey New Kid, Mr. Popper’s Penguins, Skinnybones
Generalizations
Humor relieves stress.
Funny situations occur in everyday life.
People who can laugh at themselves experience less stress.
Laughter creates both bad and good feelings in people.
Concepts
Humor
Cause and Effect
Friendship
Adversity
Interdependence
Guiding Questions
What kinds of things make people laugh?
What are some situations in which people laugh that may hurt another person’s
feelings?
How can laughter be both good and bad?
Grade 4 Guided Reading
100
Bettendorf Community Schools 2001-2002
Sharing the Theme
Name ____________________________
Book
_____________________________________
As you read your book, respond to the following questions.
Describe the situation in which the character
finds him or herself.
Describe the humorous characteristics of the
main character.
Describe the character’s strengths.
Describe the character’s weaknesses.
What conflicts occurred in your book?
Describe the time when the main character
was at his or her lowest point—when he or she
felt the worst.
What things in the character’s environment
helped make this a funny book?
Describe how the character changes from the
beginning of the story to the end.
Grade 4 Guided Reading
101
Bettendorf Community Schools 2001-2002
Grade 4 Guided Reading
102
Bettendorf Community Schools 2001-2002
Junie B. Jones Is Captain Field Day
Synopsis
Junie B. Jones’s kindergarten teacher has some strange ideas about field day: “Field Day
is a day to run around in the fresh air and enjoy the sunshine. We came out here to have fun
and get some exercise. And we’re not going to care one little bit about who wins or who
loses.” Only what’s so fun about losing? That’s what Junie B. wants to know. In the great
contest between room 8 and room 9, somehow, room 8 keeps winning all the events. As
Captain Field Day of room 9, Junie B. is feeling her superpowers—and her good
sportsmanship—slipping away. (Amazon.com)
After losing several events, William saves the day and wins the pull-up contest for room 9.
Author
Barbara Park
Introduction
Look at the cover. How is Junie B. dressed? Why do you think she is dressed this way?
What do the words “Field Day” mean in the title of the book? Do you think there is any
connection between the word “Captain” and way she is dressed? Why or why not? How do
you think Junie B. feels about being Captain Field Day?
Reading
Chapter 1 Pages 1-7
Junie B. is excited because today is field day for her kindergarten class. Room Nine will
be going against Room Eight. Her mother, father, and grandparents all plan to attend. She
calls her best friend Grace to be sure she is going to field day—as Grace is the fastest runner
in Room Nine.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
excitement, enthusiasm
field day, occasion, edge (He is taking the edge off my good mood.), ruffled,
creamed (beat), memorized, froggie (in your throat), gasp, giggled, tooting (my
own horn), sweaty, sucked (in my cheeks), grouchy, okey-dokey, conversation
Chapter 2 Pages 8-15
When class starts, the teacher says they need to pick a captain for the field day. Students
think they should be the captains for various reasons. Mrs., the teacher, puts the word
“captain” on only one piece of paper. All the students take a small folded piece of paper and
open them at the same time. Junie B. is the captain for Room Nine!
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
anticipation, joy
hollered, cramps, captain, behavior, nervous, vives (vibrations)
Grade 4 Guided Reading
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Bettendorf Community Schools 2001-2002
Chapter 3 Pages 16-21
Junie B. was excited to be the captain of field day because she likes to boss people. Mrs.
informed her that a team captain supports and keeps the team united, not boss them. Mrs.
finds a towel for Junie B. to wear, which will allow everyone to remember that she is Captain
Field Day! Everyone lines up behind her and they go outside to wait for Room Eight.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
disappointment, compromise
superhero, leotard, tights, frown, supports, united, occasionally, groaned
Chapter 4 Pages 22-27
Room Eight came out and New Thelma was the captain. Mrs. wanted the two captains to
shake hands, but Junie B. didn’t want to because she doesn’t like Thelma. Thelma grabbed
Junie B.’s hand to shake it. Mrs. said she had to say “Good Luck.” Junie B.’s grandparents
arrive, the teacher blows the whistle, and field day is ready to begin.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
surprise, stubbornness, excitement
dumped, sickish, whispered, merchandise, whole entire production, whistle
Chapter 5 Pages 28-37
The first event was a team relay race. Junie B. got into a conflict over who was going to
run first until Grace just said “please” to Charlotte. The race started and Room Nine was
winning until Junie B. was running and lost her shoe. By the time she put it back on and ran
back to her spot, Room Eight had won.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
problem solving, excitement, disappointment
zoomed, marvelous, crumpled, rescuing, tag, urgent, slowpoke, velcro, jiffy
Chapter 6 Pages 38-47
Room Nine blamed Junie B. for losing the relay. Mrs. told them they were there to enjoy
the air and sunshine, not to care who wins or loses. The next event was the softball throw.
Room Nine held Paulie Allen Puffer responsible for losing this time. Roger threw the farthest
for Room Nine. Strong Frankie, from Room Eight, threw the ball over the fence and out of
sight. Room Eight wins.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
guilt, confidence, disappointment
fault, stamped (foot), looney bird, tackle, ruffled, accident, ‘nouncement
(announcement), squealy, apparently, madam, nitwit, squinty, sarcastic
Grade 4 Guided Reading
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Bettendorf Community Schools 2001-2002
Chapter 7 Pages 48-57
The skipping race was next. Room Nine got skunked! Tug-of-war was next. Again, Room
Eight won. After a pep talk from Mrs., Room Nine was ready to find someone for the last
event—the pull-up contest. William volunteered to represent Room Nine.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
disappointment, giving up, surprise
skippers, skunked, goose egg (score of zero), glum, grumped, strength,
shocked, tattled, courage, jillion
Chapter 8 Pages 58-66
Strong Frankie did seven pull-ups for Room Eight. William did eleven! Room Nine was so
excited to win. Junie B. said William should have her cape because he was a superhero.
Mrs. was glad they didn’t give up on themselves. They all celebrated with cookies.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
lack of confidence, praise, celebration
hawk (ears like a hawk), grunt, springed up, dangled, muffly voice, collapsing
Grade 4 Guided Reading
105
Bettendorf Community Schools 2001-2002
Amber Brown Goes Fourth
Synopsis
Amber Brown is nervous about starting fourth grade, misses her best friend who just
moved away, and would love to have her Dad living at home again. These issues are
apparent throughout the whole story. Her dad calls her before the first day of school and at the
end of the day to let her know that he, too, wishes he could be there, but the divorce makes
this impossible. The usual fourth grade things happen the first day in school (teasing, armpit
noises, who went where for vacation, etc.), and Amber is able to make a new friend. They are
placed in detention together due to their excessive giggling. Amber is able to realize that life
does go on. (Amazon.com)
The book ends with Amber dealing with all the changes. She even agrees to meet Max,
her mother’s new friend.
Author
Paula Danziger
Introduction
Look at the cover of the book. Who do you see? What are they doing? What can you tell
about the girls from their appearance? In the title, what does “Goes Fourth” mean?
Chapter 1 Pages 1-6
Amber is trying on new shoes for school. She feels empty, because this will be the first
time she will start school without her best friend. He just moved during the summer. Justin
and Amber always got ready for the new year by pretending they were knights going off to slay
dragons. She decides she will have to get ready for her new grade by herself!
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
humor, loss of a best friend, determination
measurer, refused, accused, temper tantrum, rhinestones
Chapter 2 Pages 7-14
Amber looks at her “Dad Book.” She made the book because her dad moved out of the
house. It makes her feel better to talk to her dad through the pictures. She says how nervous
she is to start fourth grade; she worries about her desk and about not having a best friend.
She also tells him about her mother going out with a guy named Max. Amber doesn’t like her
mother dating, and she doesn’t want to meet him. She is worried that they might get married.
Her mother comes into Amber’s room all dressed up and ready to go out with Max. Amber
says she will stay awake until her mother gets home.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
loneliness, uncertainty
apartment, chicken pox, wobbles, scrunch, full-length, hair balls
Grade 4 Guided Reading
106
Bettendorf Community Schools 2001-2002
Chapter 3 Pages 15-24
Amber finds it hard to listen to her mother tell about her date with Max. Amber is sure she
won’t like him and doesn’t ever want to meet him. The first day of fourth grade arrives. Amber
says to just wake her up next year for fifth grade. Mother says she will drive her to school, but
Amber wants to walk. Amber will have to stay for Elementary Extension. She worries about
school the entire time she is getting ready. She thinks about Justin and wonders if he is
getting ready for school also. Amber’s dad calls to wish her a happy first day. She hopes her
mom and dad will get back together.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
worries, wishes
combination, snorts, rumples, nutritious, discussion, fault
Chapter 4 Pages 25-32
As the girls gather and talk on the playground, Amber wonders who are best friends. Boys
start to gather around to listen to the girls talk about their summer vacations. Jimmy says they
are planning a Burping Olympics and everyone should sign up. The prize will be a musical
mermaid that he gave his sister for Christmas, and she gave it back to him for his birthday.
Amber thinks of the changes that happened to her friends over the summer. The biggest
change is that Justin isn’t here for the first day of school. He would have won the contest for
sure.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
changes, concern
vacancies, name dropper, disease dropper, immature, microphone, trophy,
musical mermaid, rude body noises, sportscaster, consecutive, audience,
knapsack
Chapter 5 Pages 33-39
As Amber picks up her lost knapsack from the office, she also wants to ask if anyone
turned in her best friend. When she gets to class, she finds that the desk next to hers is
empty. The teacher, Mrs. Holt, passes out note cards for the students to fill in important
information about themselves. Amber fills out her card—adding a little of her own humor.
Key Concept:
Vocabulary:
settling in
congratulations, introducing, eyelashes, jokester, doodling, pollution, brussel
sprout
Grade 4 Guided Reading
107
Bettendorf Community Schools 2001-2002
Chapter 6 Pages 40-48
The vice-principal brings Brandi Colwin to the classroom. Mrs. Holt tells Brandi she can sit
next to Amber. Amber especially likes Brandi’s hair. They begin writing notes back and forth.
Amber mentioned to her that she used to help Justin with his math. Brandi informed her she
was NOT Justin. Mrs. Holt told them to be quiet or she would separate them.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
getting acquainted, getting in trouble
half frown teacher look, vice-principal, leggings, beeper, walker-talkie, pouts,
woven, signature, separate
Chapter 7 Pages 49-53
Amber’s mother will not let her stay home from school even though she says she has
several diseases. Amber likes all the kids in the class except Hannah Burton. Still wanting a
best friend, she takes the “Justin tour” around the playground remembering the things she and
Justin used to do.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
remembering, loneliness
food poisoning, pushover, organized
Chapter 8 Pages 54-64
Amber would like to “do-over” the first week of school. There are several things she would
like to change. Amber would not mention Justin to Brandi, try to be happy that most of the kids
are friendly, not show up for the first day at Elementary Extension, try not to think of her
parents bugging her, and not think of Justin and his family moving away. She would also like
to snap her fingers and have her parents back together. When Amber goes to the table for
dinner, she finds her mother has put out three plates. Her mother says she did it out of habit.
Amber hopes that means her mom and dad will get back together. She and her mother have
a spaghetti-slurping contest and her mother teaches her how to snap her fingers.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
regret, remembering, determination
declare, comparing, thwip sound, imaginary playmate, invisible, old-timers’
disease, champion
Chapter 9 Pages 65-70
Because her mother got a job, Brandi shows up at Elementary Extension. Amber laughs
at the fifth-grade boys who get in trouble for pretending to be Karate masters. The teacher
says for Amber to put her head on the table, but she tells her she can’t do that because it is
still attached to her shoulders. Amber continues to laugh. The teacher gives her a detention.
She and Brandi start laughing at each other, and they get another detention. Amber ends up
with four days in detention, and Brandi gets three days in detention.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
friendship, humor
sarcastic, detention, explodes with laughter, annoyed
Chapter 10 Pages 71-75
Grade 4 Guided Reading
108
Bettendorf Community Schools 2001-2002
The students are holding the burping contest. Amber can do twenty-six. She wins round
fifteen! She really wants to win the mermaid. Amber is not allowed to practice burping in
Elementary Extension, detention, or in the house. Amber tells Brandi she will help her learn to
burp if Brandi will braid her hair.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
problem solving, cooperation
sneers, immature, curtsy, competition, outlawed, disgusting, custody,
decision, humongous
Chapter 11 Pages 76-80
Justin writes to Amber and sends her his used gum to add to her ball that they had started
together. Amber writes backs and asks him questions about his school. She adds news
about herself, her family, and her new friend. Amber hopes Justin will find a new friend also.
Brandi’s mom picks up the girls after school and they go to Brandi’s house.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
excitement, friendships (Justin and Brandi)
penmanship
Chapter 12 Pages 81-86
Amber is allowed to talk to Brandi about Justin as long as she doesn’t compare him to
Brandi. Brandi gets out a six-foot-long bubble-gum tape. Amber tells her about sharing gum
with Justin and then adding the chewed gum to their ball. Brandi asks if they ever blew
bubbles with their noses. Brandi shows her how to blow bubbles with her nose. Amber is
very impressed. Brandi begins to braid Amber’s hair. Amber questions her as to why she and
Hannah aren’t friends this school year.
Key Concept:
Vocabulary:
sharing
giggles, smushes, gigantic, impressed, attempting, embroidery threads
Chapter 13 Pages 87-93
Brandi admits she wanted to be friends with Amber last year. Because Amber and Justin
were good friends, she didn’t think Amber had room for another friend. Brandi thought the only
person who had needed a friend was Hannah. No one wants to be Hannah’s friend, because
she is so bossy. Amber feels bad that she didn’t know Brandi wanted to be her friend. She
thinks of the things they like to do together even though they are different from the things she
and Justin did together. Brandi and Amber agree to be nice to any new kids that move into the
school. Amber thinks about her mother losing Justin’s mother as a friend when they moved.
She wonders if Max is her mother’s new friend. Brandi and Amber continue to practice
burping so they can win the contest.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
confession, inner thoughts
hair braiding
Chapter 14 Pages 94-101
Grade 4 Guided Reading
109
Bettendorf Community Schools 2001-2002
Gregory Gifford won the burping trophy with ninety-two burps. Max buys Amber a
mermaid, because he knew she really wanted to win it. Amber thinks he is just using it as a
bribe for her to like him. Amber’s mother explains that Max just wanted to do something nice
for them and make them happy. Amber thinks about Max being her mother’s new friend,
sharing the mermaid with Brandi, and how it would have been better if her dad had gotten the
mermaid for her. Amber writes Max a thank-you note. She asks her mother if she and Max
are going to get married. Her mother says she doesn’t know yet. Amber realizes there are a
lot of changes in her life. She will meet Max—soon.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
changes, adjustments, resolution
stomach, bribes
Grade 4 Guided Reading
110
Bettendorf Community Schools 2001-2002
Class Clown
Synopsis
Lucas Cott, the most obstreperous boy in the third grade, finds it very hard to turn over a
new leaf when he decides to become the perfect student. “Once again Hurwitz exhibits her
talent for creating characters who talk, act, and think just like real kids. Realistic
dialogue…and commonplace situations that sparkle with humor combine to make this a fine
choice.”—School Library Journal.
Author
Johanna Hurwitz has written many books for young readers including Aldo Applesauce,
DeDe Takes Charge!, The Hot and Cold Summer, Rip-Roaring Russell, and The Adventures
of Ali Baba Bernstein.
Introduction
Using the cover and title, have students tell what they think a class clown is. Why would
anyone want to be a class clown? Have the students write three predictions telling what they
think will happen in this book. Have them check their predictions as they read the story.
Would their predictions be ideas for writing another story?
Reading
Chapter 1: A Note from Mrs. Hockaday (Pages 1-13)
It is only October and already Lucas Cott is known for getting into trouble, and he is in
trouble again—this time for writing on his desk. Before the day is out, he has been in trouble
several other times. He particularly likes making everyone laugh. He has a reputation for
being a real clown. At dismissal time, Mrs. Hockaday gives him a note to take to his mother.
The temptation to read it is too great to pass up. He doesn’t know the word obstreperous so
he asks Cricket Kaufman, the smartest girl in third grade. She tells him it’s a kind of doctor.
Proudly he gives the note to his mom. She shows him the meaning of obstreperous in the
dictionary. Then she talks with him about what behavior the teacher could be referring to. The
twins, Marcus and Marius, wake up and Lucas goes bike riding.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
behavior, trouble
Mrs. Hockaday, Lucas Cott, restless, initials, Cricket Kaufman, investigate,
vandalize, dismissal, cigarette, stationery, temptation, obstreperous,
righteously, signaled, misbehaving, poisonous, blah, Julio, Universal Sustained
Silent Reading, distracting, Marcus, Marius
Grade 4 Guided Reading
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Bettendorf Community Schools 2001-2002
Chapter 2: Eyeglasses (Pages 14-23)
Lucas’s mother tells him he needs to turn over a new leaf. The next day in class, one of
the boys in his class is wearing new glasses and acts differently. Lucas decides that if he
wore glasses, he would act differently, too. After lunch, Lucas tells his teacher he can’t see
the words on the board. She has him move to a front seat. Later, she has him go to the nurse
for an eye examination. The nurse asks him to read the letters on the chart. He purposely
says the wrong ones. The nurse says she will write a note to his mother. However, Carol
Simmons, who is also at the nurse’s office, tells him that now he won’t be able to become an
astronaut—they need 20-20 vision. Lucas shows her that he can read the chart, even the tiny
print at the bottom. The nurse scolds him and sends him back to his room.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
perception, deception
appointment, definitely, inconvenience, squinting, examine, Mrs. Phillips,
temperature, astronaut, deteriorating
Chapter 3: Turning Over a New Leaf (Pages 24-31)
For homework that night, each student is to find two leaves to bring to class. Lucas
decides to impress his teacher and take in a whole bag of leaves that he and his father had
raked over the weekend. The bag is so heavy he has to take it to school in his wagon. He
takes the bag to his room. When he gets his lunch box out of the wagon, it rips a hole in the
bag. A draft from the hallway begins to blow the leaves around. Soon there is a mess, and
Mrs. Hockaday is very angry. Lucas manages to find one small leaf to hand in for homework
which the custodian missed when he swept up all the leaves.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
extremes, disaster
spitball, corridor, unpredictable, draft, custodian
Chapter 4: Lucas Makes a Bet (Pages 32-46)
Cricket Kaufman announces that she has a new baby sister named Monica. Lucas asks
why they didn’t name her after a bug, too. Cricket asks him why his parents didn’t name him
Mucus to go with Marcus and Marius. Mrs. Hockaday scolds them so Lucas waits until after
class to talk to Cricket. They have an argument and Cricket bets Lucas a dollar that he can’t
keep quiet for a whole day at school. The next day Lucas is determined to win the bet. When
Mrs. Hockaday asks him to read aloud, he develops a coughing fit. When he returns from
getting a drink, Mrs. Hockaday asks him a question so, instead of saying it aloud, he writes the
answer on the board. At the end of the day, Mrs. Hockaday asks Lucas if he is feeling all right.
She tells him she doesn’t want him getting sick and missing school. On the way out of school,
Cricket tricks Lucas into speaking before he’s out of the building and tells him he lost the bet.
As Lucas walks home, he thinks about how nice it felt when Mrs. Hockaday showed concern
for him. He thinks maybe he won’t call out so much in class any more.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
scrutiny, success
constantly, intention, attendance, frantically, alternative, diversion, triumphant,
projector
Chapter 5: Wrestling Feats (Pages 47-61)
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Lucas knows there are advantages to having twin baby brothers. They keep his parents
so busy they don’t have time to worry about him. Mrs. Hockaday told them that he was one of
her brightest students. His father tells him she sees his potential. Lucas promises to try
harder to behave himself. Lucas spends time on the weekend with his brothers wrestling with
them. His mother worries that he might hurt them, but when he’s able to use one of his
wrestling holds to keep Marcus in the barber’s chair so he can get his hair cut, she is glad.
The barber is delighted!
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
potential, problem-solving
novelty, mischief, preoccupied, potential, half nelson, figure four, the cradle,
the switch, scrimmage, accidentally, aptitude, gimmick, possibilities
Chapter 6: The Cultural Arts Program (Pages 62-72)
The class is going to see a mime. Mrs. Hockaday promises a big homework assignment if
the children misbehave. Lucas is not impressed and leans against one of the chairs set up for
teachers. Mr. Herbertson, the principal, comes by and gestures for him to take his head out of
the chair. He can’t; he’s stuck. Lucas doesn’t say a word, though. He doesn’t want a big
assignment for the weekend. Finally, Mrs. Hockaday puts cold cream on him thinking it might
act like a lubricant. It does and he gets out. She acts very concerned about him, but then tells
him to write fifty spelling words ten times each. Cricket raises her hand and reminds Mrs.
Hockaday that Lucas never said anything out loud and that she didn’t think it was fair to punish
him when he hadn’t broken the no talking rule. Mrs. Hockaday relents and Lucas thinks she
and Cricket are okay.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
rules, defense
mime, coloratura soprano, performance, gestured, Mr. Herbertson, Mrs. Weiss,
Mrs. Corbett, soundlessly, carbon dioxide, helium, lubricant, lemon meringue,
acknowledgment, applause, endangered, incredibly, rude, disrupted
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Chapter 7: A Class Circus for a Class Clown (Pages 73-90)
Lucas starts behaving much better in class. When he does do something once in awhile,
like putting on his thinking cap, Mrs. Hockaday doesn’t seem to mind as much. In May, the
children brainstorm ideas for the class play. Lucas comes up with the idea of a circus;
everyone likes it. Mrs. Hockaday starts assigning parts and naturally assigns Lucas to be a
clown. That’s not what he wants to do. Lucas also knows that his parents probably won’t be
able to come. His mother had brought his two little brothers last year and they were very noisy
and ruined the play. When he gives his mother the invitation, though, she says they’re older
this year and things will be fine. On the day of the circus, the ringmaster gets tonsillitis. Lucas
volunteers because he knows all the parts. Mrs. Hockaday is very nervous. Lucas begins to
worry about the success of the program, too. When he looks out into the audience, he is
surprised to see both his parents, but not his brothers. Everything goes well, and Mrs.
Hockaday tells Lucas he was wonderful.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
preparations, performance
acrobatic, unicycle, minicircus, multipurpose, tutu, rehearsals, tonsillitis,
projecting, marvelous
Chapter 8: Another Note from Mrs. Hockaday (Pages 91-98)
Finally, the last day of the year arrives and Mrs. Hockaday has awards for the students in
class as well as report cards. Lucas gets an S for conduct; he’s never gotten that before.
Lucas is afraid he won’t get an award, but his is the last, for “best improved conduct.” Plus,
his teacher has a note for his parents which says: “Lucas is no longer the rambunctious
student he once was.”
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
improvement, endings
Mrs. Schraalenburgh
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Comprehension
Cause and Effect
Give the effect and have the students write the cause, have students list several events
and what caused them, or use a graphic organizer. If you give the beginning up to the
word because, it is important to remember that there are often several answers that
are correct. Share the responses from time to time to broaden the students’
understanding and to encourage divergent thinking.
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
Lucas had the reputation of being the class clown because
Lucas was always doing what he wasn’t supposed to because
Mrs. Hockaday sent Lucas’s parents a letter because
Lucas decided to pretend he can’t see very well because
Lucas decided to take in a whole bag of leaves because
Lucas decided he wouldn’t talk for a whole day at school because
Lucas’s mother didn’t want him to practice his wrestling holds on Marcus and
Marius because
Lucas helped the barber because
Lucas got his head stuck in a chair, but he didn’t have to do a big homework
assignment because
Cricket defended Lucas because
Mrs. Hockaday gave Lucas the role of clown in the minicircus because
Lucas didn’t want to be a clown because
On his last report card, Lucas got an S in conduct because
Sequencing
Write or draw the events in the story in the correct order.
Main Idea
Explain the Somebody-Wanted-But-So strategy to students if they are not familiar with
it. Somebody identifies a major character. The character is followed by the word
wanted which identifies the problem. But gives the difficulties encountered in solving
the problem and so gives the solution. In many chapter books, a Somebody-WantedBut-So statement can be written for each chapter.
Somebody-Wanted-But-So
Mrs. Hockaday wanted Lucas to behave, but he was always clowning around so she
sent a note to his parents.
Lucas wanted to make the kids in his class laugh, but that got him into trouble so he
turned over a new leaf.
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Drawing Conclusions
Answer one or more of the following questions:
1. How do we know that Lucas is smart?
2. Why did the teacher use the word obstreperous in her note?
3. Why was Lucas surprised to find out the teacher cared about him?
4. How did Lucas feel about having twin brothers?
5. Why did Cricket stand up for Lucas after he got his head caught in the chair?
6. Why did Lucas’s behavior change for the better?
7. How did the children in Lucas’s class feel about him?
8. Which one of the Seven Skills did Lucas learn and practice toward the end of third
grade?
9. Why was Lucas glad that Cricket was going to be in his fourth grade class?
Comparing/Contrasting
Compare Lucas to Cricket.
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Word Analysis
Syllabication
Write the first word in each group on the board and divide the word into syllables. Ask
the students to figure out the pattern used to divide each of the words. Label the
vowels and consonants to show the V/CV pattern. Guide students to realize that in
multisyllabic words when the first vowel sound is long, the word is divided after that
vowel. Then label the vowels and consonants to show the VC/CV pattern. Lead
students to realize that words with the VCCV pattern are divided into syllables between
the consonants. Usually the first vowel sound is short.
Vowel-Consonant-Vowel
stationery
deteriorating
projector
potential
lubricant
unicycle
rehearsals
projecting
Vowel-Consonant-Consonant-Vowel
investigate
vandalize
Hockaday
obstreperous
signaled
appointment
astronaut
corridor
custodian
constantly
intention
attendance
frantically
alternative
scrimmage
accidentally
aptitude
gimmick
possibilities
performance
lubricant
acknowledgment
endangered
incredibly
disrupted
acrobatic
multipurpose
tonsillitis
marvelous
Multisyllabic Words
Say the following words aloud and then have the students say and clap the sounds for
each word. Using the information about dividing words into syllables from above, have
the students apply the two principles (plus prefixes and suffixes) to the words below:
dismissal
temptation
righteously
misbehaving
poisonous
universal
distracting
definitely
inconvenience
squinting
Grade 4 Guided Reading
examine
temperature
unpredictable
draft
diversion
triumphant
novelty
mischief
preoccupied
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Class Clown
Name ______________________________________
Make a storyboard for the events in this book. You will need to do some planning in order to have an
event in each box. You may want to start by completing the beginning and ending frames first.
Beginning
Middle
End
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
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Grade 4 Guided Reading
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Class Clown
Venn Diagram
Name _________________________________________
Compare Lucas and Cricket.
Different
Alike
Different
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Class Clown
What and Why
The following statements give information from the story. Each is followed by the word because.
Give the reason or the “why” for each statement.
1. Lucas had the reputation of being
the class clown
because
2. Mrs. Hockaday sent Lucas’s
parents a letter
because
3. Lucas decided to pretend he can’t
see very well
because
4. Lucas decided to take in a whole
bag of leaves
because
5. Lucas decided he wouldn’t talk for
a whole day at school
because
6. Lucas’s mother didn’t want him to
practice his wrestling holds on
Marcus and Marius
because
7. Lucas helped the barber
because
8. Lucas got his head stuck in a chair,
but he didn’t have to do a big
homework assignment
because
9. Cricket defended Lucas
because
10. Mrs. Hockaday gave Lucas the
role of clown in the minicircus
because
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Hey, New Kid
Synopsis
Meet Cody. His father is an F.B.I. agent; his mom drives a red Jaguar; he’s got a pet emu;
and he’s an ace on rollerblades. At least, that’s what Cody tells his third grade class on the
first day at his new school—and they believe him! Being Super Deluxe Cody is great, until
Holly decides to throw a skating party. Suddenly Cody is on a collision course with disaster!
He ends up telling the truth and finding new friends at his new school. (Troll)
Author
Betsy Duffey
Introduction
Look at the picture on the cover. What can you tell about this boy? Have you ever moved
and been the new kid in a school? How did you feel? Was it difficult to make friends?
Reading
Chapter 1 Pages 1-10
Cody is nervous about starting third grade in a new school. As his mother drives him to
school, he tries to think of excuses as to why he should stay home. While his mother fills out
enrollment forms, Cody decides he wishes he wasn’t so plain. It was then he decided to be a
Super, Deluxe new kid.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
change, anxiety
imagination, haunted, hopeless, clutched, freckles, ordinary, pleading look
Chapter 2 Pages 11-20
Cody introduces himself to his new class by telling them how smart he is, how talented he
is, that his did works for the F.B.I, his mom drives a red Jag, and he has a pet emu. The other
kids think he is pretty cool. As the day progresses, he tries to impress the teacher with his
knowledge.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
exaggeration, acceptance
prisoner, ripple of excitement, emu, gasped, shy, scooped, moist,
complicated, Jag (Jaguar), dork
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Chapter 3 Pages 21-28
Terrible and horrible were the words he used to describe his first day at school. As his
mother continued to unpack his room, Cody decided to help by going through a box of his “old
life.” Each item brought back fond memories.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
remembering friends, exhaustion
treasure hunt, mine field, abducted, aliens, archeologist, confetti, invisible,
hobbling
Chapter 4 Pages 29-35
The other students are beginning to question Cody’s intelligence, the emu, and the Jag.
He decided to avoid the lunchroom and hide out in the bathroom. He needed time to think how
to make Super Cody even more Super, Deluxe, and wonderful.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
denial, inner conflict
complicated, blubber
Chapter 5 Pages 36-43
Cody seems to be having a better day at school. He writes a Mother’s Day poem, enjoys
the art room, and is invited to a skating party. He wonders if the other kids like him for just
being Cody or do they like Super Cody? Due to his math test score, the teacher gives him
flashcards to work on for homework.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
acceptance, patience
American Gladiator, ferocious, fatal cluster, rectangular
Chapter 6 Pages 44-49
Upon arriving at home after his second day of school, he finds his room all unpacked and
everything put away. He received a letter from his friend Aaron in Kansas. Before going to
bed, he answers the letter and practices his multiplication flashcards with his dad.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
settling in, anxiety
crumpled, beaming, permanent, firing squad, invisible
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Chapter 7 Pages 50-56
On his third day of school, Cody still feels the need to avoid the lunchroom and the
possibility of eating alone. He finds himself in the media center where he reads a book about
learning to skate. He decides to go to Holly’s party on Saturday and NOT fall.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
problem solving, decision making
flightless, resembling, ostrich, whoosh, computer terminal, flickered, stance
Chapter 8 Pages 57-62
Cody arrives at the skating rink. He gets his skates and watches the other kids skate –
hoping to get some pointers on things to do and things not to do. Chip comes over to him and
makes an announcement that “The New Kid” will now skate!
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
embarrassment, fear
spun, whirring, snaked around, whizzed, swooped, gliding style, spectacular
Chapter 9 Pages 63-69
Out on the floor, he has trouble standing up on his skates. The kids think he is just making
cool moves. They make a chain and skate faster. He lets go and puts his arms out in front of
him waiting to fall. Instead, he skates right into the Girls’ Bathroom.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
fright, helplessness
gracefully, frantically, desperately, flailing arms, stunned silence, expanse
Chapter 10 Pages 70-74
Cody crashes through the bathroom door, falls, and is covered with toilet paper. He is
helped up and pushed back outside the door. All the kids were waiting for him.
Key Concept:
Vocabulary:
humiliation
high-pitched, specialty, squatted down, split, sprang, reaching blindly, survive
Chapter 11 Pages 75-78
Cody looks at his classmates and thinks of things he could tell them as to why he went in
the Girls Bathroom and was covered with toilet paper. He decides to tell the truth about
everything. He is now just a plain kid.
Key Concept:
Vocabulary:
honesty
frantically, reaction, concession stand
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Chapter 12 Pages 79-85
Cody is invited over to the table for birthday cake. He doesn’t feel like joining the party.
Chip and Holly come over and talk with him. They finally make him feel like a new friend and
end up teaching him to skate.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
guilt, understanding, friendship
crack-the-whip, hermit, irritating
Chapter 13 Pages 86-89
Cody gets an 85 on his math test, gets an invitation to play after school, and his plants
start to grow. He is happy.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
overcoming challenges, feeling at peace
tapped, examined
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Comprehension
Simile
Page 8
Page 8
Page 8
Page 28
Page 37
Page 45
Page 60
Page 61
She’s got a round face just like mine, like two moons shining up at the sky.
Makes me sound slow as a turtle.
Spanish words come out like lightning.
Seems like I turned into an echo.
“If you’re going to survive in the project, then you have to read people like a Book.”
The lobby is quiet as a graveyard.
Tears in my eyes make the glass in the gutter sparkle like diamonds.
She has a voice that goes free, soaring up high like a kite, like the top of a rollercoaster ride.
Hyphenated Words
Page
Page
Page
Page
Page
Page
Page
Page
Page
Page
Page
Page
Page
Page
Page
Page
Page
Page
Page
3
5
11
11
12
13
13
14
16
16
20
22
28
29
30
31
32
34
37
fourth-grade
uh-oh
wide-open
spray-painted
9-G
dumb-dumb
kool-aid
silky-smooth
flared-out
polka-dotted
brown-armed
pain-in-the neck
two-year
living-room
chain-link
two-on-one
hand-lotion
dried-up
extra-casual
Grade 4 Guided Reading
Page 38
Page 38
Page 39
Page 48
Page 56
Page 57
Page 60
Page 61
Page 63
Page 68
Page 68
Page 72
Page 78
Page 82
Page 90
Page 97
Page 101
Page 101
Page 101
126
spray-painted
five-year old
ice-cream
burned-out
X-ray
never-never land
end-of-recess
roller-coaster
bright-eyed
high-pitched
T-shirt
extra-nice
home-shopping
roll-around
extra-tight
milky-mustache
dead-end
eighteen-wheel
I-95
Bettendorf Community Schools 2001-2002
Skinnybones
Synopsis
Every year Alex Frankovitch—otherwise know as Skinnybones—receives the trophy for the
Most Improved Player on his baseball team. That doesn’t fool Alex, though. He knows that the
only players who get that trophy are the ones “who stink to begin with.” With top-notch players
like T.J. Stoner around to tease him, this season could end up being Alex’s worst one yet. Life
looks hopeless when T.J. challenges Alex to a pitching contest (some contest!), and when
Alex’s new uniform (size small) is way too big, and especially when his losing team has to play
T.J.’s winning one, and a TV news crew decides to film that game! But Alex does have a
hidden talent that could save the day. (Knopf, Inc.)
Alex enters, and wins, a Kitty Fritter contest. He has to complete a sentence about why
his cat eats Kitty Fritters. For winning the contest, he will get to film a commercial and be on
television. It looks like both he and T.J. were winners that summer.
Author
Barbara Park
Introduction
Look at the cover of the book. How is the boy dressed? Why is he dressed this way?
Why is there a cat in the picture? Where do you think the author got the idea for the title?
Have you ever been called a name?
Chapter 1 Pages 3-11
Alex wants to enter a Kitty Fritter TV contest. As he reaches in the bag of Kitty Fritters to
find the entry blank, the bag falls, spilling Kitty Fritters all over the floor. His mother arrives
home to find the mess. He tries to blame it on his cat—saying the cat knocked over the bag
while he was watching TV. He thinks she believes the story. Then, she asks him to go get the
cat out of the car. She had taken it to the vet. Alex gets himself in deeper trouble by telling her
it must have been one of Fluffy’s friends that spilled the bag. Mother did say that it is the most
creative fib she’s heard in weeks. Alex’s mother also thinks it’s very funny when Fluffy throws
up all over Alex’s shoe.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
humor, lies
frustrated, sifted, disgusting odor, annoyed, doomed, liar, ridiculous,
interrupting, glum, childish, punish
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Chapter 2 Pages 12-17
Alex shares several examples of his humor about things that happened when he was in
kindergarten. When he ran out of telling true things to make people laugh, he would make
things up. Once he told the class his father was a raisin. The teacher said there is a
difference between Show and Tell and Show and Fib. He thinks he is the funniest kid in his
fifth grade class. His goal for life is to try and find a teacher who appreciates his sense of
humor. Fifth grade is where he meets T.J. Stoner who had just moved here from San Diego.
T.J. has a brother, Matt, who plays baseball in the majors. T.J. says he is a pitcher, and last
year he was on a team that won the state championship. Then, Alex stands up and
announces he also plays baseball. He was voted the Player with the Slowest Mother.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
humor, attention-seeking
hobbies, panicked, appreciates, impressed, conversation, disgusted
Chapter 3 Page 18-25
After returning to school this year, Alex finds he and T.J. are in the same class again. At
the end of last year, Alex tried to make friends with T.J., but was told to get lost. T.J. didn’t
seem to like Alex’s humor either. Alex is best at square dancing. He stinks at baseball. He is
getting tired of winning the Most Improved Player Award each year. He didn’t want the award
this year and when it was presented to him, T.J. stood and laughed at Alex. To make up for
the embarrassment when receiving the award, he burps into the microphone, hoping people
will laugh.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
depressed, embarrassed
ignore, promenade, microphone, announcer, applause, bleachers
Chapter 4 Pages 26-33
Uniforms are a big problem for Alex because he is so small. His mother measures him
every year against the wall to show him he is growing. Being tired of always getting a small
uniform, this year he says he wants extra-large. His dream is to have a large uniform and
everyone else has a small one. When the uniforms come, Alex took the large. The coach had
really ordered a small for him. Alex finds that even the small is too big.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
exaggeration, embarrassment
uniforms, Munchkin, panicked
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Chapter 5 Pages 34-38
This year Alex is not the worst player—Ryan is, but he broke his arm the first game. T.J. is
the best pitcher. Alex tries to tell people the coach likes his fastball. T.J. laughs and wants to
hold a contest to see who really is the best. They will get a couple of kids to be official
umpires. After being called “chicken” and “creep-head,” he decides he’d better do it.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
lies, competition
ridiculous, outfielders, infielders, strolling, massage
Chapter 6 Pages 39-50
The next day, Alex tries to stall leaving school to avoid the contest. By the time he shows
up, everyone is there and making fun of him for being late. They agree on the rules and flip a
coin to see who goes first. T.J. wins. All ten of his pitches were perfect. T.J. starts yelling at
Alex, calling him Skinnybones. Alex informs him his bones aren’t skinny. Alex’s pitch is off
and hits T.J. in the arm. T.J. comes out and punches Alex. The contest is over. Alex has no
one to walk home with. He is a loser.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
procrastination, embarrassment
erasers, plucking your feathers, protested, jerky, insulting, doomed, windup,
unfortunately, panic, interference
Chapter 7 Pages 51-60
Alex goes for a haircut. The barber makes a “few” mistakes and he comes home looking
like he’s been to the butcher. He wears his baseball cap to cover his head. He likes it
because he thinks it makes him look like Steve Garvey. Alex just wishes he could play as
good as Steve does. Alex remembers one time when his coach asked him to bunt. He
thought bunt was another word for puke. T.J. says, “Only runts bunt!” On Saturday, their two
Little League teams will meet to play each other.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
ignorance, embarrassment
angle, snickering, tremendous, bunt
Grade 4 Guided Reading
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Chapter 8 Pages 61-67
Alex is upset that his team’s sponsor is Fran and Ethel’s Cleaning Service, which
becomes the name of their team. T.J. announces at school on Friday that their teams will be
playing each other, and everyone should come and watch. T.J. and Alex get in a
disagreement on the way home from school. Alex knows he is in for it at the game. After
spending a sleepless night, Alex has a plan. At breakfast he acts like he can’t walk. His
parents said they know the whole class is going to his game today. This is going to be the
worst day of his life.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
humiliation, worry
humiliating
Chapter 9 Pages 68-73
Upon arriving at the field, Alex notices it is packed with people and even Channel Six News
is there. He thinks there must be a graduation going on in the area, but the newsmen were
there for the game. They are there to watch T.J. in his 125th straight winning game. Alex is
so embarrassed about his playing that he prays that all the people will leave, which of course
they don’t.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
fear, pride
cameraman, grounder, scooped
Chapter 10 Pages 74-88
Alex’s team is having a bad day. Three strikes in a row, and they are in the outfield again.
T.J. is doing a great job as the opponent’s team pitcher. Alex even fumbles the ball in the
outfield. His coach is so mad at him; he shakes his fist. Then, T.J. gets up to bat and hits the
ball past Alex. Another outfielder has to go get it. When Alex gets up to bat, T.J. pitches, and it
hits the corner of the bat. Alex runs to first base. To distract T.J. from catching the ball and
getting him out, he yells “BOOBA, BOOBA!” T.J. is surprised and takes his eye off the ball.
Alex is safe! He keeps running and makes a double play. The umpire walks out to second
base and tells Alex he’s out. He interfered with the play. Alex runs up to T.J. on the pitcher’s
mound, lifted T.J.’s arm, and tickles him. T.J. looks embarrassed. Alex ran off the field, ran
home, and locked himself in his room.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
humiliation, embarrassment
interviewed, huddle, panicked, retrieve, mound
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Chapter 11 Pages 89-95
Alex is sure his father will come and talk to him about running away from his problems.
His dad surprises him and brings him a sandwich. Sunday, Alex stays in his room all day. By
suppertime, he couldn’t resist the tempting smell of fried chicken and corn on the cob. His
parents try to talk about the game, but Alex just returns to his room. He is dreading going to
school on Monday.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
feeling sorry for himself, avoidance
delicious aroma, drooling
Chapter 12 Pages 96-112
Alex tries to fake a stomachache to avoid school. His mother catches him in the lie when
she tells him his fish is dead. He jumps up and runs over to the bowl. At school, there are lots
of kids asking T.J. for his autograph. During class, the teacher announces that T.J. is going to
be in the Guinness Book of World Records! Alex bribes Brian to say something nice about
him, too. Brian announces what a special person it takes to make a buffoon of himself. Alex
continues to try to be funny and embarrasses others in the class. Suddenly Alex hears his
name being called over the loudspeaker. The principal announces T.J.’s award and that Alex
is the winner of the national Kitty Fritters Television Contest. He will get to appear on television
to make a Kitty Fritters commercial. His mother comes to the classroom to surprise him. The
teacher asks both boys to come to the front of the room so students can ask them questions.
Alex wonders if he will become a comedian now that he has a chance to be on television. He
just hopes that Kitty Fritter’s people don’t make him dress up like a Kitty Fritter and dance
around a cat dish.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
feeling sorry for yourself, embarrassing others, surprise, pride
casually strolled, autograph, applause, buffoon, sputtered, revolting, allergic,
loudspeaker, commercial shuffled, comedian
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Theme: Mystery
The Boxcar Children and Surprise Island, Key to the Treasure,
Three Investigators in the Mystery of the Vanishing Treasury,
Mission: Mayhem, Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief,
Time for Andrew: A Ghost Story
Generalizations
Unexplained happenings create mysteries.
For every cause there is an effect.
Individual’s perceptions result in confused truths.
Interconnections create patterns of behavior that are repeated.
Solving problems creates an understanding of human motives.
Concepts
Cause and Effect
Interconnections
Guiding Questions
When is an event a mystery?
What are the elements of a mystery?
How is it possible for two people to observe the same thing and retell the event
differently?
Why is it difficult to solve mysteries?
Why is conflict often involved in mysteries?
What characteristics do individuals possess who are good at solving mysteries?
Why do people like mysteries?
How do the various motives of characters play a central role in mysteries?
Introducing the Theme
Introduce the following elements of mystery to the class:
• contains an event the causes of which are not explained
• uses foreshadowing
• creates suspense
• challenges the reader to solve the mystery before the author does
• contains vocabulary that creates an atmosphere of excitement
Connections
Math - patterns, problem solving
Art - ways that mystery and intrigue are reflected in art
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Sharing the Theme
Name ____________________________
Book
_____________________________________
As you read your book, respond to the following questions.
What is the event in your book with an
unexplained cause?
What foreshadowing (hints and clues) did the
author give the reader in your book?
How did the author create suspense through
the setting?
Which characters appeared evil or likely to
have been involved in what happened?
Which event in the book surprised you the
most?
List vocabulary words that helped to create an
atmosphere of excitement or suspicion.
How is the mystery solved?
What characteristics did the mystery solver
demonstrate?
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The Boxcar Children and Surprise Island
Synopsis
Henry, Jessie, Violet and Benny used to live alone in a boxcar. Now they have a home with
their grandfather and are spending the summer on their own private island. There is a
mysterious stranger on the island with a secret--but that's not the only surprise in store for the
Boxcar Children.
Author
Barbara Brenner began writing professionally when her first son began nursery school.
She has published more than 100 books since 1962.
Introduction
Most of the children will probably have read the first book by Gertrude Chandler Warner—
The Boxcar Children. Using the cover illustration, ask if your class can identify the children by
name. Talk about the resourcefulness and acceptance on the part of Henry, Jesse, Violet, and
Benny. Remind them of their dog, Watch. You may want to read the page about Miss Warner
at the back of the book. The special setting in this book is an island. Find out what your
children know about islands—what they think might happen on the island. Point out that Miss
Warner purposely had the “Aldens go about most of their adventures with as little adult
supervision as possible.” Talk about why that might be inappropriate today.
Reading
Chapter 1: The First Surprise (Pages 7-18)
The four children, Henry, Benny, Violet, and Jessie, rush home from the last day of school,
because their grandfather had promised them a surprise for the summer. He tells them that
his father purchased a small island many years ago. It is close by and the children may spend
the summer there if they wish. Old Captain Daniel, who runs the motorboat, lives in the
fisherman’s hut on the island. The children want to go see it that very day so they do, and take
their best friends, Dr. Moore and his mother, along with them. The children make a list of the
things they will need in order to stay. When they get to the island, the children find out they are
going to stay in the barn. A new floor has been laid, and there are four box stalls at the back—
a bedroom for each child. There is a little stove, blankets, lots of things to make things with,
and a spring nearby with icy cold water that is safe to drink. While the children continue to
make plans, Captain Daniel tells Mr. Alden that he is not the only one on the island; he has a
young friend staying with him who has been sick. Dr. Moore says he will go and talk with him.
Key Concepts:
vacation, independence
Vocabulary: Watch, mainland, sharply
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Chapter 2: Housekeeping (Pages 19-33)
Dr. Moore finds out from the young man that he had been injured while on a trip to dig up
old Indian things. For a long time he didn’t remember who he was. Now he knows and he tells
Dr. Moore who he is. When Dr. Moore asks him why he hasn’t returned home, the young man
tells him that he wants to be perfectly well before he goes home. Dr. Moore tells him he has
done the right thing and that he will like the four children who are going to stay on the island
this summer. He also promises not to tell anyone that he has seen him. They decide they will
introduce him as Joe. Dr. Moore assures Mr. Alden that everything is fine. Then, they all leave
the island to buy dishes and supplies. When they return home to pack play clothes and other
things, they find that their grandfather has purchased new play clothes and shoes for all of
them. They leave for their island and are so excited they forget to buy milk and bread until they
get to the dock. After eating their supper of bread and milk, they wash their dishes in the
stream and then make their beds and go to sleep.
Key Concepts:
supplies, trust
Vocabulary: lobster pot
Chapter 3: The Garden (Pages 34-44)
Henry wakes up early the next morning and walks down to the spring. He sees a garden
close by. Joe comes by. He tells Henry that the vegetable garden is for the children. Mr.
Alden had asked Captain Daniel to start it so it would be ready when the children arrived. The
children can also order groceries by leaving a note for Captain Daniel in a box on the dock.
While the girls shell peas, Henry builds a cupboard for the dishes.
Key Concept:
housekeeping
Vocabulary:
Chapter 4: Clamming (Pages 45-52)
When the children explore the beach, they find clams. With Watch’s help, they soon have
enough dug for dinner the next day. They next find a place that Grandfather fixed for them to
swim in and a little raft. Benny doesn’t want to get in the water because it’s cold. Joe comes
along and teaches them about seaweed and also gets Benny in the water without him even
knowing it.
Key Concepts:
clamming, exploring
Vocabulary:
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Chapter 5: Summer Plan (Pages 53-62)
The children decide to do more exploring the next day. They take along a kettle to save the
things they find. They find shells and flowers to put in the kettle. Henry gets an idea—they
could make a museum for all the things they find on the island. They could have it upstairs in
the barn. They ask Joe to get books from the library so they can find out the names of all the
things they find. He tells the children he’ll ask the librarian for the names of some books, but
when he gets to the library, he tells her which books he wants. Joe takes the books back to
the children and they invite him to stay for their clam dinner. Joe teaches Benny how to eat
clams. After dinner, they all help clean up.
Key Concept:
guest
Vocabulary:
Chapter 6: The Museum (Pages 63-75)
Joe seems to know a lot about a lot of things. When Henry asks him about it, Joe says he
used to live near the beach, but he thinks to himself that he must be more careful. A
handyman would not know so much. After Joe leaves, the children explore the upstairs of the
barn. Each one of them takes a task to do to get started creating a museum. They need
newspapers to dry the flowers. Benny tells them that Joe gets two every day so they send him
to ask Joe if they can have some. The children hear the motorboat so Benny runs to see if
they have anything. He comes back with a box from Grandfather that has a sweater for each
one of the children. That night it rains—and comes into the barn several places. Soon it’s
coming in lots of places. It’s still raining the next day. Henry wears his swimsuit to get the
things in the box. Jessie makes clam chowder for lunch. After lunch the children work in the
museum.
Key Concepts:
problem, problem-solving
Vocabulary:
Chapter 7: Exploring (Pages 76-85)
The next day the children go exploring again. They find a huge pile of broken clam shells.
On the other side of the island they find a little cave. Henry digs up an arrowhead. Then
everyone starts to dig, including Watch. After a while, Watch starts barking. When the
children check what’s wrong, they discover that he has dug up an old ax-head. But that’s not
what Watch was barking about—the cave is filling with water. The children scramble to get
outside. When they get back to the barn, they see Joe. They tell him what has happened. He
invites them to come and eat stew with Captain Daniel and him. Joe is very excited about
what the children have found. He tells them he would like to go with them the next time. Then
he carries Benny (who has fallen asleep) back to the barn where all of the children then fall
asleep right in the middle of the day.
Key Concepts:
caves, artifacts
Vocabulary:
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Chapter 8: Indian Point (Pages 86-97)
The children take Joe to see the pile of clam shells. He explains that it was probably where
Indians sat and made wampum—shell money. Benny finds an old bone. Watch gets a
fishhook made from an animal bone in his paw. Then they dig some more and find pieces of a
dish. Benny’s bone is really a man’s bone. When Joe digs some more in the spot where
Benny found the bone, he discovers a whole skeleton. He asks the children to leave it right
where it is, but they can take the other things for their museum. After that, they always refer to
that end of the island as “Indian Point.”
Key Concepts: discoveries, recording
Vocabulary: skeleton
Chapter 9: A New Violin (Pages 98-108)
One evening Violet (who hardly ever speaks) says she hears a violin. Joe is playing. Violet
asks if she can hold the violin. She watches Joe carefully as he plays for them. That night
she tells Jessie that she wants to learn to play. Captain Daniel calls Mr. Alden the next
morning and asks if Violet can have a violin. Joe goes to town and gets one for her. When he
gets back, he offers to give her her first lesson. To entertain Benny, Henry suggests they go
fishing. Benny catches a big fish. Then Henry catches one and they have enough for dinner.
Violet tells them that Grandfather is coming for a visit the next day. They decide to fix him little
vegetables for dinner.
Key Concepts:
music, fishing
Vocabulary:
Chapter 10: Grandfather’s Visit (Pages 109-117)
Grandfather and the children are delighted to see each other. Mr. Alden can hardly wait to
see the museum. He thinks it is wonderful. Then they tell him about the skeleton. Mr. Alden
asks them where they got the idea for a museum; it’s the same thing he used to do himself
when he was a boy. Then Violet shows him the violin. He plays it for her. The children didn’t
know he could play the violin. Then the children want Mr. Alden to meet Joe, but he has gone
to the mainland. After dinner, Mr. Alden asks them to go back to the mainland for an hour or so
so he can show them something. He takes them to a museum with his name over the door
and to a special part labeled: The First Collection Made By James Henry Alden When He
Was a Boy of Fifteen. Before the children return to the island, Mr. Alden gives each one of
them a box.
Key Concept:
cycles
Vocabulary:
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Chapter 11: Apple Pie (Pages 118-126)
The next day it is cold so the children decide to stay indoors. While they are making birds
for their museum, they talk about Joe not staying to meet Grandfather. For dinner, Jessie
makes an apple pie—her first one. Just as they sit down to eat, a stranger knocks at the
door—Mr. Browning. He tells them he is looking for a young man who had gone exploring for
him lost year. He thought he was dead, but someone told him that he was living on Alden
Island. The children tell him about Captain Daniel and Joe. He wants to meet Joe so he has a
piece of pie, too, while he waits. However, when Captain Daniel gets back, he tells them that
Joe has gone away for a day or two.
Key Concepts: strangers, substitution
Vocabulary:
Chapter 12: The Picnic (Pages 127-143)
The children ask Joe to help them build a fire so they can invite their school friends over for
a picnic on the beach. They have chowder and blueberries and milk. Benny and his friend
Mike suddenly disappear. When the children go looking for them, they find them in a tiny cave.
Inside there is a big stone table with an old bottle on it. There is a paper inside the bottle that
says, “If found, give to J. Alden. Six feet from cross to red rock, and three feet down. J. A. and
R. W.” The children follow the directions. Mike keeps digging after the others tire. He finds a
black box with a pile of old money in it—five dollars. Jessie suggests that Grandfather will
trade him a new five-dollar bill for the money in the box. Just then, the children hear a shout
and see a boy in a rowboat pointing to a dark head in the water. Joe jumped into the water,
swam out, and finally gets the boy into the boat. Mike thinks it is his brother Pat. It is, and Joe
brings both of them in. Everything turns out fine.
Key Concepts:
discovery, rescue
Vocabulary:
Chapter 13: Joe Again (Pages 144-152)
The next day is Benny’s birthday. He asks for a bottle of cream to eat on some
blackberries. Violet decides to bake him a cake before she takes her violin lesson. Joe and
Violet play for the children. It is beautiful! They start to play again when Mr. Browning coming
in. He calls Joe, John. Joe seems glad to see him and tells him that everything is all right
again. The children find out that John is Mr. Browning’s best friend, that he used to work in a
museum, and that he is their cousin, John Joseph Alden.
Key Concepts:
Grade 4 Guided Reading
surprises, confession
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Chapter 14: Everybody’s Birthday (Pages 153-162)
Benny gets to call Grandfather since it is his birthday. Grandfather is coming with Dr.
Moore and his mother. Mr. Browning is concerned that this sudden news might not be good
for an old man like Grandfather. Joe tells them that Jessie can prepare him. When
Grandfather arrives, Benny just about gives everything away. Finally, he and Jessie make
Grandfather promise that his veins are good and that he won’t die when he hears good news.
He is delighted to see John again. Now it is really time for a celebration. Mrs. Moore has
brought some food with her. Finally, everything is ready and Mr. Alden declares that it is
everybody’s birthday.
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
surprises, celebration
Peter Rabbit
Chapter 15: Good-by Summer (Pages 163-178)
Finally, summer is almost over. Joe tells the children that he and some other men are
going to work at the cave to uncover whatever other artifacts may be there. Benny throws a fit
when he finds he can’t watch them blow the top off the cave. Captain Daniel gets him to stop
by offering to let them go with him to get lobsters. Watch stays with Joe. Benny spies a red
board floating in the water which is what Captain Daniel uses to mark where a lobster pot is.
They keep looking and pulling in the pots. They gather fifteen lobsters before they return to the
island. They are going to eat some of them for dinner. After dinner, the children pack their
things away and Captain Daniel takes them back to the mainland. Grandfather and the
children are glad to see each other. Another adventure may be forthcoming concerning the
little yellow house that the children never got to visit while they were on the island.
Key Concepts:
home, friendship
Vocabulary:
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Comprehension
Cause and Effect
Give the effect and have the students write the cause, have students list several events
and what caused them, or use a graphic organizer. If you give the beginning up to the word
because, it is important to remember that there are often several answers that are correct.
Share the responses from time to time to broaden the students’ understanding and to
encourage divergent thinking.
n Grandfather didn’t tell the children his surprise right away when they got home on the
last day of school because
n The children were anxious to spend the summer in a barn on their own because
n Joe didn’t want to tell anyone where he was because
n Grandfather had Captain Daniel start the garden for the children because
n Joe knew a lot about shells, birds, flowers, and bones because
n Grandfather was pleased that the children built a museum in the upstairs of the barn
because
n The children almost perished in the cave because
n Pat and Johnny tried to come to the island because
n Watch was a valuable companion because
n Captain Daniel took the children to find lobsters because
n Mike found the black box with the money inside because
n Mr. Browning thought they should be careful how they told Mr. Alden that Joe was all
right because
Drawing Conclusions
1. Why didn’t Dr. Moore seem surprised when the Aldens came by and asked him and
his mother to go to the island with them?
2. Why was Captain Daniel reluctant to tell Mr. Alden about the young friend who was
staying with him?
3. Why would Mr. Alden be upset that another person was on the island?
4. Why didn’t Joe tell the children he was related to them right away?
5. Why did Grandfather let the children go to the island by themselves for the summer?
6. How did the children know that Violet really, really wanted to learn to play the violin?
7. Why did they name the island “Surprise Island?”
8. How did Grandfather know the children were all right?
9. Why would Mr. Alden, who has lots and lots of money, send his grandchildren to a
place where they slept on hay, had to cook their own meals, and had to get their own
food?
10. What did Jessie mean when he said: “Everything seems better when we have to work
to get it.”
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Sequencing
Have students list ten major events from the story (like the ones listed below) in order.
1. The Alden children spend their summer vacation on an island.
2. The children dig for clams.
3. The children decide to build a museum in the upstairs of their barn.
4. Benny finds a little cave that has artifacts in it.
5. Joe and the children find a skeleton.
6. Violet learns to play the violin.
7. Grandfather comes to visit.
8. Mr. Browning comes to the island and asks about a young man who has been
missing.
9. The children invite friends from school for a picnic on the island.
10. Joe saves a drowning boy.
11. Benny has a birthday party.
12. The children go lobstering with Captain Daniel.
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Word Analysis
Inflectional Ending ed
Write the first word from each column on the board. Ask students what pattern they
see. Identify the base words in each. Have the students identify what happened to
each of the words when ed was added. Discuss as many examples as needed for the
children to understand the concept.
Ending: ed
shouted
laughed
jumped
delighted
reached
pointed
started
passed
melted
smoothed
Grade 4 Guided Reading
Dropping silent e
before adding ed
promised
excited
settled
noticed
waved
piled
smiled
raced
explored
arrived
surprised
pleased
143
Doubling the final consonant
before adding ed
planned
dropped
stopped
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T-Chart for
The Boxcar Children Surprise Island
Name___________________________________________________
Choose one of the characters from the story. List all the things the character could do on the left side.
Then list all the things you can do on the right side.
_______________ can…
I can…
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Grade 4 Guided Reading
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The Boxcar Children Surprise Island
Choose one of the characters from the story. Give examples showing how the character exhibited each
of the following skills.
Common
Sense
Character
Traits
Caring
Responsibility
Character’s Name
Teamwork
Effort
Initiative
Perseverance
Name___________________
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The Boxcar Children Surprise Island
Story Sequence
Name _______________________________________
Setting: Time and Place
ê
Characters
ê
Story Beginning
ê
First Event
ê
Second Event
ê
Third Event
ê
Story Ending
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Appendix
Guided Reading Recordkeeping Forms
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Notes
Friday
Thursday
Wednesday
Tuesday
Monday
Week 2
Notes
Friday
Thursday
Wednesday
Tuesday
Monday
Week 1
Guided Reading
Groups
Guided Reading
Groups
Independent Work Groups
Management of Guided Reading—Ten Day Plan
Adapted from Guided Reading by Irene C. Fountas & Gay Su Pinnell
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Name
Monday
Grade 4 Guided Reading
Guided Reading Record
Tuesday
Wednesday
151
Thursday
Friday
Bettendorf Community Schools 2001-2002
Adapted from Guided Reading by Irene C. Fountas & Gay Su Pinnell
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Guided Reading Record
Name
Observational Notes
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Adapted from Guided Reading by Irene C. Fountas & Gay Su Pinnell
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Guided Reading Record
Date
Observations
Adapted from Guided Reading by Irene C. Fountas & Gay Su Pinnell
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Record of Book-Reading Progress
Book Level
Book Title
Child’s Name ______________________________________________ Grade
_______________
Title of Book, Accuracy Rate, Self-Correction Rate (M=above 90%; N=below 90%)
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
Date
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Adapted from Guided Reading by Irene C. Fountas & Gay Su Pinnell
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Record of Book-Reading Progress
Book Level
Book Title
Child’s Name ______________________________________________ Grade
_______________
Title of Book, Accuracy Rate, Self-Correction Rate (M=above 90%; N=below 90%)
22
21
20
19
18
17
16
15
14
13
12
Date
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Adapted from Guided Reading by Irene C. Fountas & Gay Su Pinnell
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