Fifth Grade (on grade level)
Section Four (pgs. 71-98)

Discussion Director:

The job of the Discussion Director is to develop questions for group members, to help focus on important parts of each section.  These questions should vary in difficulty and type.  For this reading section, the Discussion Director should create the following types of questions: 1 Compare/Contrast, 1 Mood, 1 MCEOG, 1 Prediction, and 1 On Your Own.  Here are some examples of the types of questions that could be created for this section.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

(Prediction)
1.  Do you think that Peter will help Elizabeth and her friend escape?

Answer:  Opinion question predicting what will happen after reading (page 97)

Passage Picker:

The Passage Picker's job is to select specific passages, from the reading section, that are significant in some way.  These passages should be discussed with Literature Circle group.  There are many reasons that a passage might be significant.  The Passage Picker should select passages, from this reading section, for the following reasons: 1 step by step, 1 interesting, 1 descriptive, and 1 surprising.  Here is an example of significant passages from this section.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________

(Step by Step)
1.  page 73, last par. and page 74, first par.

Stuffing the....was gone.

Word Wizard:

The job of the Word Wizard is to select words from the reading section for their literature circle group to examine and discuss.  These words can be chosen for various reasons, such as:  word patterns, new or unknown words, strange words, describing words, words in bold/italics, etc.  For this section, the Word Wizard should choose 4 of the following words to work with: unfurling (p. 71), trifled (p.75), abated (p. 79), obstinately (p. 80), rejoinder (p. 86), regaled (p. 92).    Here is an example:
____________________________________________________________________________________________________

(Strange Word)
1.  rejoinder- page 86, par. 1

I took it all without rejoinder, neither willing nor in truth able to share my thoughts with them.

Character Sketcher:

The job of Character Sketcher is to create a character map for a main character of the reading section of their book. This map should include proof of three character traits, the goal of the character they choose, the problem faced by that character, and a solution or possible solution for that character's problem. Below is an example of a character sketch for section four of Night Journeys.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________

ROBERT-

Character Traits/Proof:
1.  rigid-  page 88, par. 2
Robert seemed indifferent, not affected at all by the fact that he was being held prisoner. He also did  not respond in any way to Mr. Shinn's non-chalant attitude toward him or to Peter's stares.

2.  gracious- page 97, par. 1
Elizabeth talks about how Robert helped her when she stole from his apprentice master.  Robert even got sent to prison for helping Elizabeth but still he did not abandon her.  This shows how gracious Robert is.

3. disheveled-  page 88, first par.
Peter describes Robert as having dirty clothes, no shoes, and messy hair. He describes Robert's appearance as being evidence of the journey he and Elizabeth had taken; because he was so disheveled.

Character Goal:
Robert's goal was to escape with his friend Elizabeth to Easton and find a paying job there.

Problem:
He is being held prisoner in Mr. Shinn's barn and a man is soon coming from Trenton to return him to his owner, John Tolivar.

Possible Solution:
Peter can help Robert and Elizabeth escape to freedom.

Connector:
The job of the Connector is to connect their group's Literature Circle book to something relevant to their own lives. A way to connect the book they are reading to the outside world (their own environment) is to think of a situation that they have experienced or a movie/story that reminds them of what is happening in the book.  The Connector should answer certain questions as he/she attempts to connect Night Journeys to the outside world.  Here are some questions to help in making that connection.  The Connector could also write a story that relates something in the story they are reading to their own experiences.

1.  What did you notice in this reading section of the story?
2.  How did what you've read in this section make you feel?
3.  What does the story remind you of in your own life?
4.  Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?
5.  Compare/Contrast yourself with the main character's actions during this reading section.
6.  Does this part of the story remind you of any other story you have heard or read? Explain.

Possible Answers:
1.  I noticed after reading the beginning of this section of the story that Peter is being very selfish by considering keeping the girl captive and not helping her anymore. I noticed as the section went on that Peter really is not that bad of a person and that he does have a conscience. Peter is just confused as to whether or not to help Elizabeth and her friend and also confused as to how he might be able to help them.

2.  I feel sympathy for the two runaway children (Elizabeth and Robert).  I also feel sad that if Peter helps them escape, he will probably get in trouble with Mr. Shinn and might not have anywhere to live.

3.  This part of the story reminded me of times when I am confused, when I know the right thing but am not sure how to do the right thing.  It also reminds me of times when other people need my help and I want to give it to them but am not always brave enough.

4.  I would still recommend this book to a friend. It is very exciting and the story keeps changing.  A reader never knows what might happen to Peter next.

5.  I am sometimes like Peter (as he acts in this section).  He goes from being completely selfish to wanting to help the boy and girl he found.  I am like Peter in that I change the way I feel sometimes after something happens  (like Peter who shot Elizabeth and then was sorry).  I am different than Peter because I would not have thought to keep Elizabeth captive and to scare her with the gun.  I would have just let her go.

6.  Sometimes there are T.V. movies on that involve characters who go from being really mean and selfish to being very kind. "The Grinch who stole Christmas" is a little bit like the book because the Grinch is mean and then when he sees how kind and forgiving the Hoos are, he is nicer.