Next Spring an Oriole
Author:  Gloria Whelan
Section1  p5-24
    The novel begins with Elizabeth Mitchell introducing herself to the reader.  She tells of how her family decided to pick up all their belongings and move to a place that they have never seen.  On their journey the Mitchell family crosses paths with an Indian Family.  In this family there is a young girl with the measles.  The Mitchell’s offered to carry the girl in their wagon so she can rest.  Elizabeth is fascinated with the girl.  After the girl is better she returns to her family.  The Mitchell’s met a family with lots of children with short hair.  They eat dinner and start to go to sleep when Mama panic’s and rushes Elizabeth and her father out of the house.  The family they stayed with had lice and the Mitchell’s did too.  Elizabeth and Mama had to cut their hair really short.  Finally the Mitchell’s reach their land and begin to build a house.  They get help from the Indian Family, and others during the winter so they will not starve.

Discussion Director
Your job today is to generate 5 meaningful questions and answers that will motivate group discussion.  You will want to use different types of questions like: Fact & Opinion, Multiple Choice End of Grade, Problem/Solution, Sequence, Prediction, Cause & Effect.  Good Questions begin with: Who, What, When, Where, Why, How, Tell, and Describe.
Each question must have a page# and paragragh# of where the answer can be found in the text.

1-Q: Why are the Mitchell's leaving their home in Virginia?
   A: They are leaving because the neighbors had cut down all their trees for a plantation and Papa likes the trees. (p. 5, par.2)

2- The Mitchell's are traveling westward in a:
a. car
b. on horseback
c. train
d. covered wagon
        A: d. covered wagon (p. 6, par.1)

3- Q: From what you know so far, why is the book called, Next Spring an Oriole?
    A: Because the song of the bird is Elizabeth's favorite sound. (p.6 par. 2)

4-Put in the correct order
a.  Mama pushes Papa in the water
b.  Mitchell's eat strawberries in a field
c.  Mitchell's carry sick Indian girl in wagon
d.  Mitchell's travel through Detroit

Word Wizard
Your job today is to find 4 words that are essential to the meaning of the story, or other unknown words.  Follow these steps when recording your words:
1- Word page and paragraph #
2- Sentence used in text
3- Definition
4- Part of Speech
5- Your own sentence using the word

With 2 of these four words you will put on a note card:
On the Front:
Word
(page # and paragraph # in corner)
On the Back:
Define
Part of speech
The sentence the with word from the text
Your own sentence using the word
Illustrate the word.

1- plantation p. 5, par. 2
2- "When our neighbors cut down all the trees for a plantation, Papa said that he was ready to leave.
3-  A large farm, usually in a warm climate on which the farm workers live.
4-  noun
5-  Tobacco is grown on a plantation.
 
1- canvas p. 6, par. 1
2- "The bows were covered with canvas."
3-  a strong, heavy cloth of hemp, cotton, or linen used for sails, tents, and oil paintings.
4-  noun
5- You need to put color on that blank canvas.

1- sluice p.16, par. 2
2-" I was watching Papa sluice down the horses but i hadn't seen the fond look he gave them or the gentleness in his hands."
3-
4-
5-
 
1- daft p. 9, par. 4
2- "Later Mama asked, "Rob, that man sounded as though he believed we were daft."
3-  crazy, silly
4-  adjective
5-  With thoes clothers you look daffy.

Passage Picker
Today your job is to find 4 passages in the text that are significant and/or descriptive and lead the group into discussion through questioning and stating the author's purpose for the passage. Follow the steps below:
1.    Pick out a passage you would like to share.
2.    Write down the page and paragraph number.
3.    Write down the first two words and the last two words of your passage.
4.    Write down the reason you chose the passage, and explain why
5.    Ask a question about your passage, and give an answer.
6.    Write down the Author’s Purpose:  To Describe, To Entertain, To Inform, or To Persuade.

1- Passage #1
2- p. 9, par. 1
3- "When Papa...the water."
4- I find the passage descriptive and can visualize Mama sketching really fast.
5- Q: Why does mother draw the boats in the water like they are birds?
     A:  Because they have large sails that look like wings.
6- To introduce the fact that Mama likes to draw.

1- Passage #2
2- p. 10, par. 2
3- "I looked...wild strawberries."
4- I have never been in a field of strawberries and think that it would be fun to just pick and eat.
5- Q: What is a type of food that you have never seen growing and would like to just pick and eat?
     A: Strawberries, peaches, and grapes
6-To show how nature provides for us all.

1- Passage #3
2- p.12 par.1
3- "Mama was...my shoulders"
4- I have long hair and I wish that is was longer at times like Elizabeth wishes her hair will be as long and her mother's.
5- Q: What trait do your parents have that you admire?
     A: My mother can do a chin-up and a headstand I hope when I am her age that I can do those things.
6- Foreshadowing

1- Passage #4
2- p. 17, par. 2
3- "This man...Papa's"
4- it is very descriptive of the Indian's appearance.
5- Q:  What are some similarities between the Indian man and Papa?
     A:  Papa doesn't wear leather and feathers in his hair.  The Indian man had longer hair.  They both carry a musket.
6- to describe

Character Sketcher
Your job is to create and illustrate a character map of a character.  You are to use at least three words that describe the character you choose.  For each word, or character trait, you will prove or give an example from the text.  You will also identify the character goals, problem and solution (or possible solution) for that section of reading. Finally you will make a visual illustration of your character.
 
Mama
Character Traits
Artistic (p. 9, par. 1) Because she likes to draw and she makes sketches of different things throughout the story.
Concerned (p. 9, par. 4) She is worried that the man that sold them the land was not telling the truth and was worried that they had traveled all this way for nothing.
Nurturing (p. 18, par. 2) Because she wants to take care of the Indian girl by letting her rest in the wagon.

Problem:  Traveling west to an unknown land that they will soon call home.
Solution:  Try to survive day by day.
Goals:  To make a new home.
 

Artful Artist
Use the description in the book (p.17) of the Indian man to illustrate his physical appearance