Your job is to develop a list of questions that your group will discuss about the part of the book, pp. 57-81. You will decide important ideas and issues raised and present questions that talk about them. Today your job is to ask questions about the following that your group can talk about:
1. Which of the following on pp. 57-81 best describes how Spoon was treating Joanie?
a. meanly
A - c. p. 69 par. 4
Figurative Language
2. Find three examples of a simile. Tell the two things that are being compared. A simile is the comparison of two things using the words "like" or "as". Teacher can model this by reading passages from previous pages of the book on a prepared transparency, identifying the similes and discussing the comparisons.
a. The hats bobbed like boats on a green sea. p. 68 par. 1. Hats and boats are being compared. The hats are going up and down like a boat.
c. Joanie was nearly always present, as constant and common as a doorknob. p. 77 par. 1. Joanie and a doorknob are being compared. Joanie was always there just as a doorknob is always on a door.
Cause and Effect
3. Name three events that happened in this section (effect), and discuss why each one happened (cause).
a. Effect: The sky could be seen in its place. p. 65 par. 1
b.
Effect: Scott thought it would be nice for the three of them to have a picnic in the yard. pp. 76-77 par. 4
c.
Effect: Gram taped paper to the underside of the dining-room table and let Spoon draw with crayons. p. 79 par. 3
Mood
4. What mood is the author trying to create in this section?
Main Idea
5. Tell what the most important idea is in this section of the book. Explain your thinking.
Your job is to pick passages from this section that you and your group can talk about. Today we will find passages on pp. 57-81 that are:
1. Foreshadowing
a. p. 65 par. 1
b. "Except for a...in the distance"
c. Foreshadowing: I picked this passage because it is a foreshadowing. It describes a "black egg-shaped cloud in a china blue sky" which was a foretelling of Gram's death.
d. Why was rain falling from the black cloud?
e. The author's purpose was to foreshadow Gram's death
2. Informative
a. p. 69 par. 3
b. "And they'll be...we can begin"
c. Informative: I picked this passage because it was informative. It tells what Spoon is thinking.
d. What tactic did Spoon use that day to accomplish what he wanted to do?
e. The author's purpose was to give information that gave meaning to Spoon's thinking.
3. ___________
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
4. _____________
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Word Wizard
Your job is to pick 4 words from today's reading and teach them to your fellow students.
Choose from the following:
a. snide pp. 59-60 par. 2
b. He wasn't even bothered by Charlie's snide older brother's comments.
c. Dictionary: Slyly sarcastic. My own: Mean remarks made indirectly.
d. adjective
e. Q - Why wasn't Spoon bothered by Charlie's snide remark?
2.
a. destination p. 60 par. 6
b. His destination was the basketball court on the west side of the park.
c. Dictionary: The place to which someone or something is going or directed. My own: Where you are going.
d. noun
e. Q - Why was Spoon's destination important?
A - He wanted to practice his basketball skills before Charlie came home from vacation.
3.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
4.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Character Sketcher
Your job is to find an interesting character from pp. 57-81. You will find three words that describe the character. For each word or character trait, you will give proof or an example, including page number and paragraph.
The next thing you will do is to tell one of your character's goals or what the character wants to do in this section.
Next you will find one of the character's problems in the sections and the solution or possible solution to the problem.
Finally, you get to have fun and illustrate your character.
Character: Charlie Gilmore
Character Traits:
a. Teasing - Charlie wrote a postcard to the family saying that he had gotten a present for everyone except Spoon
b. Snide - Spoon wasn't bothered by Charlie's snide remarks.
c. Boastful - Charlie boasted to Spoon that he could twirl a basketball expertly on one finger.
Character's Goal:
a. Charlie' enjoys outdoing Spoon whenever he can.
Character's Problem:
a. Charlie has a rivalry problem with his younger brother, Spoon.
Character's Solution:
Charlie seems not to be aware of a problem in need of a solution, but his parents could help make him more sensitive to Spoon's feelings.
Summarizer
Your job is to prepare a brief summary of today's reading, pp. 57-81. You will be giving a quick statement that tells the key points or the main highlights of today's reading assignment. If there are several main ideas or events to remember, you can use the numbered slots below.
Summary:
This part of the story takes place over a three day period with Joanie, Spoon, and their parents. Most of this section takes place at their house. Spoon had taken Gram's pack of sun cards without asking Pa and has been having dreams of her since then. He believes the cards are helping to keep his memory of her alive. He and Joanie start "secret" notebooks with Spoon's writings consisting of notations and memories of Gram. Up to this time he has been so concerned that he would lose memories of her.
MCEOG Question:
b. like a baby
c. nicely
d. he was ignoring her
b. The pages in her notebook turned like wings flapping. p. 74 par. 1. Pages and wings are being compared. The pages are turning quickly
Cause: The ceiling had been lifted off the room.
Cause: Joanie had something special to do.
Cause: She wanted to let Spoon see what it might be like to make art on a ceiling.
Passage Picker
You will find two other passages on your own that are surprising, funny/amusing, frightening, intriguing, or descriptive.
A - The rain completed the symbolism of the black cloud which represented Gram's death. The cloud and rain ruined what otherwise was a beautiful blue sky. This reflected Spoon's mourning for Gram.
A - Spoon told Joanie that they were going to make secret notebooks. He figured that Joanie could feel included, wouldn't be a pest, and he could keep private what he was doing.
1.
A - Spoon thought the word "sun" on the postcards was a sign that it was the right thing to do to take the cards and this made him happy.
p. 57 par. 2
p. 59 par. 2
p. 61 par. 1