The first part of the journey to Palestine is by train to Czechoslovakia.  Ruth learns that some of the children have survived by running into the forest and eating mushrooms, roots and stolen potatoes.  One boy hid in a small place in a neighbor’s barn another was constantly on the run.  A girl tells of standing in a river so the dogs could not track her, and of dogs ripping two of her friends apart.

Ruth is traveling with Nate and Miriam, who are older.  Nate attempts to bribe the border guards with cigarettes against Ruth’s advice and is arrested and tied to a chair.  Nate has half the papers.  Ruth can’t stand the thought of a Jew being tied up, remembering her small cousin tied to a chair and suffocated by her own socks which were stuffed into her mouth.

When the guards get drunk, Ruth cuts Nate free with a broken bottle.  When the guards finish their drinking and return, the children run.  The guards are after them.

Discussion Director:
Section 3 (P 21-29)

MCEOG question:
The border guards will not be able to tell the difference between Hebrew and:
A: Greek
B: Italian
C: Polish
D: Yugoslavian

Answer: A (P 21, p2)

Problem: Nate is arrested and tied to a chair (P56, p5,6).
Solution: Ruth cuts him loose with a broken bottle (P28, p4).

Prediction: They will make it to Palestine with most of them alive because Ruth is smart, determined, and brave.

Fact: (P25, p3) They have cigarettes to bribe the guards.
Opinion: It is my opinion that Nate will listen to Ruth more often.

Passage Picker:
Section 3 (P 21-29)

(P25, end of top)   There are a couple of girls my age, I think, a couple of boys too, but I don’t let on for a minute that I should be in the group, not leading it.
I like this part because it shows a fifteen-year-old wanting to seem older so that she can have some control in the group when she realizes that she understands the situations better than the older ones.
Author’s Purpose: To inform the reader of Ruth’s need to have control.

(P28. P4) Once free, he grabs my hand and shakes it, then forgets that and kissed me on the cheek.
I like this because it shows Nate’s character so well.  In a life and death situation, he stops to show gratitude, even though he was wrong.  Also, even though they are making some very adult decisions, they are still a young man, and a young girl.
Author’s purpose: To inform the reader of Nate’s level of gratitude.

Character Sketcher:
section 3 (P 21-29)

Miriam:
Morale booster: (P24, p7) “What’s this?” she says…singing and clapping.
Nervous: (P26, p9)  She is tall and really quite beautiful, if nervous all the time.  She wrings her hands and picks at her skin, and tugs at her hair constantly.
Naïve: (P26, p8) “Now, what?” Also (P24, p7) and (P28, p9) She is nervous and doesn’t know what to do, except keep the younger ones in a good mood.

Goal: To get to Palestine

Problem: Getting across the border (P26, p8)
Solution: She relies on Nate and Ruth.(P26, last p)

Word Wizard:
section 3 (P 21-29)

Scoff (P22, p5) He looks at me then as if he knows how I scoff at the word “dreams”, as if he wishes he were talking about me.
Meaning: to sneer at. Verb (action)
Frank would often scoff at his younger brother when they played football in the yard.
                   
Grimaces (P23, p13) “Family?” She rolls the word around in her mouth and then grimaces.
Meaning: Makes a facial expression of annoyance or disgust. Verb (action)
Frank often grimaces when his teachers ask for his homework
     . 
Solemnly (P23, last p) “A long time,” she answers solemnly.
Meaning: with seriousness.  Adverb ( describes how she spoke)
The bride took her wedding vows solemnly.

Agitated (P26, p4) They (the guards) appeared agitated.
Meaning: nervous and upset.  (Adverb  tells how they appeared – which is a verb)
The teacher gets agitated when several students crowd around her desk, looking for pencils.

Hamlet (P27, p2) We walk…until we reach the top of the rise just before the hamlet.
Meaning: a small village  Noun(place)
He was born and raised in a charming hamlet just east of Frankfort.

Arduous (P28, p3) It takes me fifteen minutes of arduous careful slicing until I final break through.
Meaning: Exhausting Adjective (describes slicing, which is a verb)
The arduous work work in my garden was worth it when we sat down to a meal of very fresh vegatables.

Forge (P29, Top) We forge ahead as quickly as possible…
Meaning: To move or impel slowly forward (with difficulty).  Verb (action)
My father forged up a mountain for a mile to catch the school sled every school morning.