Students locate and label the crew's route and specific geographic stops (Connecticut, Martha's Vineyard, Grand Manan, Block Island, England, Ireland) on a map in Activity 1, which helps them place scenes within the story's setting. Students review and label parts of a sailboat and learn sailing terminology in Activity 2 and are prompted to refer to these diagrams and terms while reading, supporting comprehension of actions and setting. Discussion prompts ask students to compare life on a boat to life on land and to describe the course the crew will take, connecting background knowledge to the novel's environment.

Students are asked to read Chapters 1-7 and answer questions about characters and events, which requires them to consider how those chapters develop character and plot. The Character Timeline activity directs students to record descriptions of Cody and Sophie for Chapter 1-7, 8-15, and 16-end, prompting students to track how chapters contribute to character development over the course of the book. The Parent Plan lists the skill of evaluating the author's use of techniques such as point of view, and the reflective journal activity has students compare the two characters' points of view and what each learns from events.

Students are asked (Question #1) to explain why the author chose to have two narrators, prompting analysis of narrative structure and perspective. Students compare two sample sentences and discuss which writing better conveys voice, practicing sentence-level interpretation of tone and personality. Students read Chapters 8–14, summarize the Bompie episode, and record descriptive words and phrases on a Character Timeline, practicing how scenes reveal character and advance plot.

Students read Chapters 15-22 and answer comprehension and inference questions (e.g., what Sophie means by a quoted line, descriptions of the environment, and why the lobster was returned) that relate to setting, character, and theme. Students are instructed to fill out "Character Timelines" to track character development across chapters, which requires synthesizing information from multiple scenes. Activity 2 asks students to describe relationships among characters and how those relationships change, and discussion prompts ask students to consider thematic ideas (e.g., environment affecting emotions, Bompie's quote).

Students read Chapters 23–30 and answer comprehension questions about events, character feelings, and plot points (e.g., how Cody and Sophie felt, what happened to Uncle Stew). Students are asked to fill out a "Character Timelines" sheet, which has them track character development across chapters. Discussion prompts ask students to consider thematic ideas (e.g., whether suffering builds character) and how the environment affects emotions, linking chapters to theme and setting.

Students read Chapters 31-35 and answer comprehension questions that require summarizing events and character actions (e.g., Who was Little Peep?; Summarize Bompie's story). Students fill out "Character Timelines" across chapters, which has them track character development over multiple scenes. Activity 2 explicitly presents the whales and dolphins as symbols for different crewmembers and asks students to research the animals and discuss how sightings "affect the emotions of the crewmembers," linking specific scenes to thematic meaning.

Students read Chapters 36–50 and answer directed questions about how the environment outside and on the boat has changed and what happened to the sails, which requires them to describe setting changes and plot events. Students complete a "Character Timelines" sheet and an "Identifying Voice" activity that asks them to match quotes to characters and write how each character would respond in a scene, which practices tracking character development across chapters. Students identify and create similes and personification and discuss how figurative language makes descriptions effective, which asks them to analyze how specific sentences/phrasing create mood and setting.

Students read Chapters 51–60 and answer comprehension questions that ask how the storm and The Wave changed Cody and how relationships among crewmembers changed, which requires linking events/scenes to character and plot development. Students are asked to fill out a "Character Timelines" sheet, which has them track character changes across chapters. Discussion prompts ask students to interpret quotes (Cody's remark about being useful; Sophie's metaphor about things being blown off the floorboards), prompting analysis of theme and character interiority.

Students are asked to identify themes and provide evidence from the book (Option 2) and to list ways each character changed as a result of the voyage with supporting examples (Option 1). The activity prompts and teacher notes point students to specific events (for example, The Wave crashing on The Wanderer and Sophie's overcoming fear of water) as evidence that develops themes and relationships. Students complete a "Character Timelines" sheet and answer targeted comprehension questions about scenes and character interactions.

Students choose a specific Character Quote (a sentence) and must record the quote and explain why it is meaningful, linking the sentence to character meaning. Students create a Character Changes three-flap book in which they write descriptions of a character at the beginning, middle, and end, linking those parts of the text to character development and an overarching theme about change. Students select and illustrate four Important Events in chronological order and answer a test question asking them to describe a theme of the book using examples from the story.

Students are instructed to watch The City of Ember and then write or perform a movie review in which they describe the characters, setting, and plot and discuss how the setting plays an important role. The activity tells students to pay special attention to the environment of Ember and the main characters. Parent discussion prompts ask students to explain who Lina and Doon are, what they did, and why the people live in Ember, which connects setting to plot events.

Students read chapters 1–3 of The People of Sparks and answer targeted questions about characters and events (e.g., why Lina calls Mary "Madam Mayor," why the people of Sparks look different, and what happens to the mayor), which links events and setting to character and plot. Activity 2 directs students to make five predictions about how the Emberites must adjust to a new environment and to check those predictions as they read, which requires tracking how scenes develop setting and outcomes. Discussion prompts ask students to compare Sparks and Ember and to consider whether the people would have left Ember if not forced, encouraging consideration of motives and thematic choices.

Students read Chapters 4–5 and answer questions that connect details to setting and character (e.g., why Lina is afraid of fire; why she has never had certain foods). Students keep a multi-day Learning Log recording discoveries across chapters and are asked to group and compare those discoveries, which prompts thinking about how events reveal the new environment. Parent-discussion prompts ask students to explain town leaders' concerns, how oxen are used, and why Doon feels good about his new life, linking events to plot and character outcomes.

Students read chapters 6–7 and answer comprehension and interpretive questions about events (e.g., "What was the Disaster?", "What happened to Torren's parents?") that connect chapter content to plot and setting. Students are asked to interpret a specific sentence from the doctor ("Well yes. That's how it goes, doesn't it? Someone pushes, someone pushes back...") which asks them to analyze meaning in context related to theme. Students create a monument or write a ballad about the Disaster that requires them to synthesize chapter content and express the theme of peace for the community.

Students read Chapters 8–10 and answer specific questions about events (e.g., how the new environment affects people and why Emberites are upset with Sparks), which prompts them to explain how those chapters show setting and plot development. The debate activity requires students to cite evidence from the text about resource conflict and construct supported arguments, linking events from the chapters to the theme of scarcity and community tension. The Dreams in Color activity has students write a descriptive paragraph and select colors/images to reflect mood and tone, asking them to connect imagery to the story's emotional setting.

Students are asked to read chapters 11–13 and respond to comprehension questions that probe plot and character choices (e.g., whether Tick's ideas are good, whether Lina should have hidden in the truck, and what Lina thinks the people of Ember might be destined to do). The Comparing Ember & Sparks activity asks students to illustrate the two settings and create a Venn diagram to identify similarities and differences between the cities. The wrapping-up and parent discussion questions prompt students to consider causes of conflict, the meaning of the flag incident, and whether the two peoples have more in common than they realize.

Students read chapters 14–16 and answer targeted questions about character motives and actions (e.g., why Torren hates Lina and that he throws a crate of tomatoes), and about Doon's feelings when Lina leaves, which connects character behavior to plot consequences. Parent discussion prompts ask students to recall recurring images of fire and to consider attitudes between groups, encouraging linkage of scenes to thematic elements. Activities ask students to consider how media (or lack of it) shapes the setting and society, prompting students to relate scenes to broader setting and cultural consequences.

Students read Chapters 17–19 and answer guided questions that ask them to describe relations between Ember and Sparks and to evaluate which leader is more effective, which touches on theme and plot developments. One question asks students to interpret Doon's father's advice about anger and unintended consequences, prompting students to connect a specific line of dialogue to character motivations and outcomes. The vocabulary activity requires students to examine each word in its sentence context and record what in the book's context helped them understand the word, so students analyze sentences for meaning.

Students read chapters 20–22 and answer questions that ask them to explain causes of conflict (e.g., how fear/anger lead to evil and why Tick only supervises). The Sequencing Events activity requires students to cut out, order, and reflect on events and to "note the quick progression that has led nonviolent people to violence," linking event order to plot development. The parent plan and questions prompt students to summarize important events, recognize sequence as the plot, and discuss how the cycle of revenge and violence relate to the story's themes.

Students are asked to read specific chapters (23–26 and 27–end) and answer targeted questions about events and character actions (e.g., Tick's demands, what Lina gives Doon). Activity 2 directs students to identify the type of conflict in The People of Sparks and to provide evidence from the text (events, characters' words and actions, or dialogue) in a bubble map. The Parent Plan skills explicitly require students to identify the main problem or conflict of the plot, explain how it is resolved, analyze characters' effects on the conflict, and explain characters' roles and functions in the plot.

Students compare the settings of Ember and Sparks using a Venn diagram (Activity 9 and the final project Venn diagram), which asks them to identify similarities and differences in setting features. Students summarize the novel's conflict in Test Question 6, explaining man versus society and how customs affect plot. In Option 2 students write a three-paragraph essay including a paragraph on how the people of Ember will discover and adapt to a new environment, prompting analysis of how a setting could change the story's events and outcomes.

Students answer specific comprehension questions that require linking events to meaning (e.g., why Heather visited Miss Benson; why Risa tucked the cookies; why an "eye bouquet" was thoughtful; why Heather hid the book). Students complete an activity that asks them to identify main characters, the primary incident, the main setting, time span, and the lesson learned, which connects parts of the story to overall plot and theme. An activity asks students to create vivid verbal descriptions (eye bouquet) that relates to a particular scene and its emotional impact on a character.

Students are asked in Activity 2 to identify three examples from the story that show the setting is a rational world and three examples that are irrational, requiring them to locate specific events and connect them to the story's setting. Activity 4 directs students to record phrases and sentences from the text that the author uses to describe an environment and then reflect on how the environment shapes the story, linking textual description to plot and character. The reading questions and discussion prompts (e.g., "Why is the setting important in the story?" and comparisons of environment as antagonist) ask students to explain how the environment contributes to conflict and character relationships.

Students identify and reflect on the story's ironic ending (Activity 2) by explaining how Bimbo's final actions relate to the outcome. Students compare Tito's sensory descriptions before and after the eruption (Activity 3), noting how those passages change as the plot advances. Students consider the volcano as an antagonist and analyze how the erupting volcano impacts the community and the conflict (Activity 5).

Students locate and record the words and phrases Irving uses to describe the Catskill Mountains (Activity 1), which requires attention to specific sentences and language that establish setting. Students rewrite the return-to-village scene as a script and identify characters, lines, and stage directions (Activity 5), which has them isolate and work closely with a particular scene. Students read a poetic retelling and compare it to the short story (Activity 4) and answer questions about major changes that occurred while Rip slept (Question #3), engaging with differences in structure and plot events.

Students are asked interpretive questions about the text (e.g., Q3 asks what the line "Zlateh's language consisted of only one word, but it meant many things" means, and Q4 asks how Zlateh saved Aaron's life). The parent/teacher discussion prompts ask students to consider the role of the natural setting in the story's conflict, identifying the snowstorm as the antagonist. Activities require students to identify point of view and explain narrator types, which supports understanding how narrative perspective shapes events.

Students are asked to discuss Sylvia's decision and the role of the natural environment in oral questions (e.g., "Why does Sylvia struggle with her decision…?" and "What role does the natural environment play in the story?"). Students write a short story critique that requires them to discuss characters, plot, and setting with specific references. Students complete a Venn diagram comparing the two female characters, which asks them to analyze similarities and differences in characterization and how each character is affected by setting and events.

Students complete a plot diagram (Activity 2) in which they identify the problem, three most important events, the climax, and the resolution, situating events within the story's structure. In Activity 4 (Theme and Conflict) students identify a major theme and are prompted to provide examples from the text that support that theme using a graphic organizer. Activity 3 asks students to list actions that reveal character traits and to describe the setting with words and phrases, considering how the setting should play an important role in the plot. The Short Story Rubric asks students to provide important details that further the plot and to ensure the natural environment plays an important role in the story.

Students are asked in Activity 2 to choose a short passage (1–2 paragraphs) and rewrite it from Pink's point of view or from an omniscient narrator, focusing on what Pink would see and think or what an omniscient narrator would include. Activity 4 asks students to select images that show what life was like during the Civil War or to create a Venn diagram comparing life then and now, which has students attend to setting details. Activity 5 has students analyze Civil War letters by identifying authors, audiences, opinions about the enemy, and circling helping verbs, which asks students to consider perspective and content in specific passages.

Students are asked to summarize the accounts they read and explain each character's perspective, which requires connecting individual sections to character viewpoint. Parent discussion prompts ask why the author chose to tell the story from many perspectives and ask students to consider whether characters' ideas and perspectives change, which invites thinking about how different chapters/voices contribute to meaning. Activity 1 has students place characters on a map and answer questions about specific passages (e.g., Vernon's fear, Gideon Adams' challenge), prompting students to use short passages to infer role and motive within the narrative.

Students are asked to read pages 21–40 of Bull Run and answer comprehension questions that require interpreting specific lines and events (e.g., Question #1 asks what note Dietrich Herz found; Question #2 asks what the doctor meant by "Man is the deadliest of God's creatures"). Parent discussion prompts ask students to explain how Toby's attitude changed and to evaluate leaders' preparedness and Gideon's reaction, which ask students to connect events and character reactions to larger ideas. Activity 2 asks students to design a propaganda poster and consider which messages would influence characters they have read about, linking textual character perspectives to thematic persuasion.

The Parent Plan discussion question asks students to explain why the author made the entries shorter during this section of the book, prompting analysis of a structural choice and its effect on pace and tone. Reading questions ask students to describe how characters feel during the fighting and to judge who is winning the battle, which requires students to connect scenes to plot development. The "Ideas to Think About" and follow-up discussion prompts about morale and how witnessing battle can change perspective invite students to relate scenes to the development of theme and setting.

Students are asked to interpret a specific sentence when they answer Question #3 about Dr. William Rye's line, "A victory? Indeed it was for death upon his pale horse," which asks them to explain its meaning in context. Activity 1 directs students to reread Toby's accounts on specified pages and describe his feelings before and after Bull Run, citing evidence across chapters to show character change. The Character Quilt activity asks students to depict a memorable scene and describe a character's main achievement, requiring students to select and represent scenes from the book.

The Skills section explicitly asks students to "Analyze the effect of the qualities of the character ... on the events and conflict in the story," which directs students to link character traits to plot outcomes. Activity 2 has students record positive and negative traits and explain consequences or outcomes, asking students to connect traits to events and conflict. Activity 3 has students place important events from Chapters 1–2 on a timeline, requiring students to organize events in the text's overall chronological structure. The Parent Plan discussion prompts ask students to explain how family and personality shaped Einstein's interests and ambitions, which ties character and events to larger themes.

Students read Chapters 3 and 4 and answer comprehension questions about events and consequences, including adding two to four important events from those chapters to a timeline, which situates chapter events within the overall chronology of Einstein's life. Students complete a Biography Web by locating events that belong in the "Childhood & Young Adult" section, organizing chapter details into larger biographical categories. Students summarize the first two chapters and write a reflective paragraph connecting personal conflict in the text to broader consequences, which links chapter content to a recurring theme of personal conflict.

Students read Chapters 5 and 6 and answer comprehension questions and add events to a timeline, which asks them to identify and sequence major events (Activity: Read Chapters 5 and 6; add events to your timeline). Students complete a Biography Web by filling in four major events from Einstein's "miracle year," emphasizing a turning-point in the plot of his life (Activity 1: Biography Web). Students write a video summary that requires them to identify major topics, themes, or events from a video and compare the book and video accounts in discussion prompts (Activity 5; Parent Plan discussion questions).

Students read Chapters 9 and 10 and answer comprehension and inference questions (e.g., how Einstein felt about war; what he meant by calling himself a "lone traveler") and add events to a timeline. The Skills section explicitly states students will "understand, make inferences, and draw conclusions about the varied structural patterns and features of literary nonfiction and provide evidence from text to support understanding." The Forms of Media activity asks students to compare how different sources (biography, encyclopedia, videos) contributed to their understanding of Einstein.

Students read Chapters 11 and 12 and are instructed to add events from those chapters to a timeline, and to fill in four major events for the "The War" section on a biography web, which requires placing chapter events into the text's structure. Students answer targeted questions about how Einstein's views changed, why he moved to America, and the impact of Nazi Germany's bomb research, addressing plot and character development. Activity 1 has students explain the contrast between Einstein's pacifism and the bomb and create a peace-promoting product, connecting chapter content to the theme of war and peace.

Students are asked to read the last chapter and answer comprehension questions and add events to a timeline, which requires placing the chapter within the sequence of the biography. The skills section and Option 2 prompt students to identify how the author accomplishes common biographical elements and to "explain how authors create meaning through stylistic elements," which asks students to analyze parts of the text and cite examples. Option 2 specifically directs students to provide examples from the book that demonstrate how the author shows setting (describes surroundings) and conveys the subject's effects on others and individuality.

Students are assigned the role of summarizer and read Chapters 1 and 2, then write a four- or five-sentence summary of the chapters, demonstrating comprehension of main events. Students answer discussion questions that ask about how life changed after the occupation, why characters burn the newspaper, and what the boy's comment about the king means, which prompt interpretation of setting, plot consequences, and theme. In Activity 2 students imagine and describe how occupation would affect their community (poem or chart), connecting events and circumstances to setting and thematic consequences.

Students are asked to read Chapters 3 and 4, select passages they find "interesting, powerful, funny, puzzling, or important," mark them, read them aloud, and discuss why they chose those sections. In Activity 2 students analyze propaganda posters, note techniques and messages, and write one-sentence summaries of each poster's intent. Parent discussion questions prompt students to explain key plot events (e.g., why Mrs. Hirsch was closed out, why the Danes destroyed their fleet, why Ellen stayed with Annemarie), requiring explanation of causes within the story.

Students read Chapters 5 and 6 and take the role of a discussion director, writing four open-ended questions designed to cover the big ideas of the chapters. Students complete a Problem and Solution page, identifying three problem/solution situations from the chapters and explaining how characters solved them. The wrap-up and parent-plan questions ask students to review events (e.g., how Papa convinced soldiers, what happened to Lise) and to predict future problems and solutions, prompting connections between events and plot development.

Students are asked to read Chapters 7 and 8 and act as a travel tracer, describing where the characters move to and from and describing each setting in detail, either in words or on a map. They must give page locations for each scene and explicitly "explain what role the setting plays in the conflict of the story." Discussion questions also prompt students to explain characters' actions and suspicious events that relate to plot and tension.

Students are asked to read Chapters 9 and 10 and act as a "literary luminary," choosing two or three passages and reading them aloud while explaining their reasons for selecting them, which requires identifying important parts of the text. Discussion questions prompt students to explain characters' motives (Why did Uncle Henrik and Mama lie?) and to reflect on Annemarie's sense of growing older, connecting scenes to theme and plot development. Activity 2 has students read and retell Barbara Rodbell's story and answer how her message about thinking for oneself relates to World War II and today, which asks students to connect specific content to larger thematic ideas.

Students are asked to read Chapters 11–13 and take the role of an illustrator, drawing a picture about something they read or an element of the story (plot, character, setting). The Activities include a Venn diagram that directs students to compare and contrast Annemarie's sacrifice with a historical figure, which asks students to identify similarities and differences that relate to theme. 'Ideas to Think About' and wrap-up discussion prompts ask students to consider sacrifices and consequences, encouraging students to connect events to broader thematic ideas.

Students read Chapters 14–17 and are asked to record connections between the book and the real world, which requires attention to events and their significance. The Character Sketch activity asks students to identify two traits of Annemarie, provide textual examples, describe the problem she faced, and explain how her traits helped solve it, linking scenes to plot development. Discussion questions (e.g., why Annemarie pretended to act silly when soldiers stopped her) prompt students to analyze the function of a particular scene. The Little Red Riding Hood activity has students compare parallel episodes and decide which version is most similar to Annemarie's story, highlighting how parallel scenes contribute to theme and meaning.

Students are asked to "act out your favorite scene from the book" (bottom-center square), which requires them to engage with a specific scene and perform its events. The book-jacket activity asks students to write a summary including the main character, setting, and the beginning, middle, and end, which has students identify and organize major structural parts of the text. The Number the Stars test asks questions about how Annemarie showed bravery and about specific plans and events, prompting students to explain the role of events and actions in the plot.

Students read the prologue and first two chapters and answer Q1 asking them to identify three events described in the prologue. Q2 and Q4 ask students to record sentences or phrases where the author describes the setting or uses language that 'paints a picture.' Activity 2 requires students to underline several sentences that describe the setting and then illustrate or map the setting based on those sentences.

Students read Chapters 3–5 and answer comprehension questions about Winnie's desires, why she ventured into the woods, and Tuck's reasons for forbidding the water, which requires linking events to plot. Students identify and analyze specific sentences that use personification (underline the object and circle the human trait) and then write new personified sentences, and they are asked to explain how personification shapes the reader's perspective. The Wrapping Up and discussion prompts ask students to consider how change affects Winnie and whether her life is about to change for better or worse, connecting chapters to the theme of change.

Students read Chapters 6–8 and answer targeted questions (Q1–Q4) that ask them to explain why the Tucks kidnapped Winnie, whether their secret is dangerous, whether they are happy with immortality, and what Winnie thinks of them, which requires explaining how that scene develops character and plot. The Wrapping Up prompts ask students to consider how the book's fantasy elements (the spring) conflict with natural cycles, linking events in these chapters to the story's theme. Parent prompts ask students to retell the Tucks' story and describe how Winnie's life is beginning to change, which asks students to summarize and explain recent plot development.

Students are asked in Activity 2 (Juxtaposition) to find and record words and phrases the author uses to juxtapose the Fosters' home and the Tucks' home and to write paragraphs describing each home using author quotations. The Getting Started and Reading prompts direct students to notice the author's descriptive language that creates vivid images of the Tucks' home. The Wrapping Up and Reading questions ask students to consider how Winnie's interactions with the Tucks will change her, inviting connections to character development and theme.

Students read Chapters 12–14 and answer questions that require them to identify plot events (e.g., what happened to the horse; Jesse's wish for Winnie), which shows engagement with scene-level plot detail. In Activity 2 students read specific quoted passages about cycles and change and are asked to explain the significance of items they collect as representations of those themes, connecting particular sentences to thematic ideas. The Wrapping Up prompt asks students to consider Tuck's explanation about immortality and to defend whether they agree, prompting students to interpret how that scene expresses theme.

Students are asked to write a summary of Chapters 15–17 using vocabulary words, which requires them to identify main ideas and how those chapters advance events. A comprehension question asks why Winnie wanted Miles to put the fish back in the pond, prompting students to explain a character action and its impact on the plot. A discussion prompt asks why the author reports only the man in the yellow suit's words and omits the Fosters' dialogue, which directs students to consider an authorial structural choice and its effect on development. The Getting Started and Ideas to Think About sections ask students to consider how events cause change, linking events to character change and theme.

Students read Chapters 18–20 and answer comprehension questions that require explaining plot events (e.g., how the man in the yellow suit learned about the Tucks, the man's plans for the water, and why Mae could not go to the gallows). Discussion prompts ask students to explain character decisions and changes (e.g., Why did Mae hit the man? How have Winnie's feelings for the Tucks changed?), and the "Ideas to Think About" invites reflection on how interactions change us, which ties to theme development.

Students are asked to interpret a specific sentence when Question #1 asks what it means that Winnie "was different now" after the man in the yellow suit was hurt, requiring them to connect that sentence to character change. The Cause and Effect Paragraph activity directs students to identify specific events from Chapters 21–23, record causes and effects on a graphic organizer, and write a paragraph explaining how those events lead to other events in the plot. The Parent Plan skills explicitly include analyzing how organizational patterns of a text (e.g., cause and effect) influence relationships among ideas, which students practice through the graphic organizer and paragraph writing.

Students are asked to read the last two chapters and the Epilogue and answer questions about character fate and community changes (e.g., whether Winnie's relationship with her family will be the same; how Treegap had changed when Mae and Tuck returned). The lesson defines an epilogue as an extra chapter that brings closure or reveals characters' fates, signaling attention to how an ending contributes to resolution. Activities ask students to choose symbols and write similes for main characters and to note three ways the movie differed from the book, which prompt consideration of character, theme, and plot elements across parts of the text.

Students are asked to record three quotes or actions from the book that describe how characters feel about living forever and to note the character who made each statement, which requires close reading of specific sentences or actions. The Student Activity Page directs students to categorize these quotes under "Pros" and "Cons" and to use a "Your Own Words" section to summarize considerations, explicitly asking them to remember the theme of "change." Part 4 requires at least one debate question related to the theme of change, reinforcing connection between textual evidence and theme development.

Students are asked to complete "Recognizing Discrimination" graphic organizers for chapters 1–4 (and later chapters) that prompt them to record who was involved, what happened, and how each event was an example of discrimination. Reading questions ask students to explain plot causes and character reactions (e.g., why African-American children have a shorter school year; why Little Man refused the book), requiring students to connect events to character motivation and plot. Activity 2 asks students to write a 3–4 sentence journal response linking Civil Rights Movement videos to the injustices in the novel, which connects setting and theme to events in the text.

Students answer targeted comprehension questions about Chapter 3 that require them to state why Little Man was upset, how the Logans sabotaged the bus, and why the family feared retaliation, which connects specific scenes to plot events. The parent prompts ask students to explain how schools were run in Mississippi and to discuss how black and white children were treated differently, which prompts students to articulate aspects of setting. Activity 2 asks students to identify injustices and write a formal letter explaining what the county is doing wrong and what should be changed, which asks students to connect events and conditions in the text to larger social themes.

Students are instructed to "keep track of instances of discrimination as you read your chapters each day on the 'Recognizing Discrimination' pages," which requires collecting details across chapters to build the theme of discrimination. Students read Chapter 4 and answer focused questions (e.g., why Stacey is upset that Mr. Morrison is staying), asking them to analyze character motivation and plot events in that chapter. The Parent Plan lists the skill to "Critique the credibility of characterization and the degree to which a plot is contrived or realistic," implying students may evaluate how scenes and characterization affect plausibility.

Students read Chapter 5 and answer questions that require them to identify plot details (e.g., why Big Ma parked at the back) and to reflect on Cassie's reaction (e.g., why she said, "No day in my life had ever been as cruel as this one"). The Wrapping Up section and Ideas to Think About prompt students to consider discrimination and events leading to the Civil Rights Movement, connecting the chapter to broader thematic and historical context. Activity 2 asks students to watch and discuss a video on Jim Crow laws, which builds setting/context that relates to the chapter's themes.

Students read Chapter 6 and answer questions that require interpretation of a scene (for example, explaining why Uncle Hammer bought a car like Mr. Granger's) which connects a particular scene to character motivation and plot conflict. Students analyze the meaning of a key sentence when asked what Mama means by, "White people may demand our respect, but what we give them is not respect but fear," linking that sentence to the theme of fear versus respect. Parent prompts ask students to discuss how Cassie's attitude changes after Mama's explanation and why characters react to Uncle Hammer's car on the bridge, connecting scenes to plot development and reader inference.

Students read Chapter 7 and answer comprehension questions that ask why Stacey gave T.J. his coat and what happened at Christmas, which has them identify plot events and causes. Discussion prompts (Ideas to Think About and Parent Plan questions) ask students to consider how one person effects societal change and how Mr. Morrison's or Uncle Hammer's actions could lead to changes in the community, prompting analysis of actions' impact on plot and theme. The Option 2 activity asks students to compare and contrast the Logans' Christmas with their own using a Venn-style organizer, which has students analyze setting and cultural details in specific chapters (pages referenced).

Students read Chapter 8 and answer interpretive questions asking whether Lillian Jean was worth Cassie's taking a stand and why T.J. betrayed Ms. Logan, which requires explaining how that scene affects characters and events. Students are instructed to keep track of instances of discrimination as they read, asking them to connect episodes in the text to broader themes. Students analyze the boycott episode and the Integrated Bus Suggestions, explaining how protest actions relate to the story's events and the community's responses.

Students read Chapter 9 and answer targeted questions about character motivation and plot events (e.g., why T.J. hangs out with R.W. and Melvin; why families stop shopping in Vicksburg; what happened to Papa). Students respond to discussion prompts asking why Papa insisted on going to Vicksburg and how the power system in the community breaks down, which asks them to make inferences about theme and social setting. The sharecropping activity and accompanying video prompt students to explain the agricultural system and consider historical context, helping them connect setting details to the characters' circumstances.

Students read Chapter 11 and answer direct questions asking how and why T.J. was hurt and why R.W. and Melvin orchestrated taking him from his house, which requires explaining causes and motivations in the plot. Students are asked to keep track of instances of discrimination on the "Recognizing Discrimination" pages and to discuss how T.J. is being discriminated against, which connects chapter events to the novel's themes. Students are asked to summarize the chapter and predict the final chapter, which asks them to relate this chapter to the larger narrative.

Students are asked to read Chapters 1 and 2 and answer comprehension questions about events (e.g., reaction to the aircraft, the Ceremony of Twelve, Jonas's worry about Asher), which requires them to connect chapter events to plot. Students are directed to keep a "Character Timeline" and after each reading record a word or phrase that describes Jonas, prompting them to track how each chapter relates to the protagonist's development. Discussion prompts (e.g., how societal interactions reflect values, positive/negative societal changes) invite students to consider thematic elements across the text.

Students read Chapters 3 and 4 and record words or phrases on a timeline to describe Jonas, linking those chapters to character development. Students answer questions about a specific scene (the apple changing) and the parent prompts ask them to identify foreshadowing, asking them to infer how that scene may suggest future events. The listed skills require students to infer implicit theme and analyze author's purpose using evidence from the text, supporting analysis of how parts of the text develop theme and plot.

Students read Chapters 5 and 6 and answer comprehension and evaluative questions about character actions and community rituals. Students create a "Stages of Life" timeline by labeling each ceremony, describing what happens at each age, illustrating the events, and ordering the pages to show how children change over time. Students evaluate community rules by recording positive and negative effects and writing reasoning to decide whether each rule should exist, then defend their decisions in discussion.

Students read Chapters 9 and 10 and answer comprehension questions that ask what Jonas learned about the previous Receiver and what he receives from the Receiver of Memory, addressing plot events. Students complete a "Character Timeline" page recording words or phrases to describe Jonas in these chapters, supporting character and plot development work. In Activity 2 students choose three historical events and explain how those memories could help Jonas's community, which prompts students to connect events to the theme of memory and societal change.

Students read Chapters 11–12 and are directed to reread the sleigh-ride scene (pages 80–82), identifying descriptive words and phrases and organizing them by the five senses. Students answer factual questions about the events in those chapters (the sled memory, climate control, the painful sunburn memory, and Jonas seeing color), and record words or phrases that describe Jonas on a character timeline. Parent/ discussion prompts ask students to consider advantages and disadvantages of climate control and Sameness, which connect to setting and thematic ideas.

Students are asked to answer questions about Chapters 13 and 14 (Questions 1–4) that require explaining Jonas's reactions, the meaning of The Giver's comment about instructors, and why Jonas wants the community to share memories. Students are instructed to record information about Jonas on a Character Timeline, linking chapter events to character development. Activities prompt students to identify symbolism in the text and to discuss connections (e.g., Committee choices, freedom of speech) that relate to theme.

Students read Chapters 15 and 16 and answer targeted questions about Jonas's response to the Warfare memory and his wish to return to his previous life, prompting analysis of those chapters' events. Students record descriptive words and phrases for Jonas on a Character Timeline, showing attention to how these chapters change his character. Students analyze the theme of freedom through discussion prompts and by composing letters, bio-poems, before-and-after poems, and acrostics that explain how memories and events affect Jonas and the community.

Students read Chapters 17 and 18 and are instructed to record on a timeline words or phrases that describe Jonas in "today's chapters," which requires tracking how these chapters show his change over time. Discussion prompts and "Ideas to Think About" ask students to consider how one person can create change and why Rosemary requested release, which asks them to connect events in the chapters to broader themes and plot outcomes. Students answer comprehension questions about specific scenes (Jonas' vision change, the game incident, Rosemary's release), tying those scenes to plot developments.

Students read Chapters 19-20 and answer direct comprehension questions about what happens (e.g., discovery about release, Rosemary being The Giver's daughter), which requires them to identify plot events. Students record words or phrases on a timeline that describe Jonas in these chapters, linking chapter-specific character development to the sequence of events. Students discuss questions about the plan, the community's lack of awareness, and whether Jonas and The Giver can change the society, which invites consideration of thematic implications of these scenes.

Students are asked to "Analyze how Jonas changed as the book progressed" and to add final thoughts to a Character Timeline, which requires tracing how chapters contribute to character development. The reading questions ask students to explain specific events (e.g., why the planes were terrifying, what happened to Jonas and The Giver's plan), prompting analysis of scenes and their impact on plot and mood. The Option 2 final project requires students to plan and write a 3–5 page final chapter using a Plot Flowchart and a rubric that asks whether the chapter "follow[s] the plot diagram" and "stay[s] true to Jonas' character," which asks students to place a chapter within the work's overall structure and consequences for plot and theme.

Students are assigned the role of Cultural Commentator to read the chapters "1924" and "Las Uvas" and record places in the chapters where the reader learns about culture, which requires chapter-level analysis of setting and cultural details. Students are asked to interpret Papa's line about the land ("Did you know that when you sit down you can feel it breathe?...") in a discussion question, which has students analyze the meaning of a particular sentence and its thematic significance. Students create a Setting Map and a Great Depression photo journal that require them to connect textual information and historical images to the novel's geographic and historical setting.

Students are asked in the Wordsmith activity to locate passages they find "interesting, powerful, funny, puzzling, or important," record their locations, read them aloud, and discuss why they chose them. Parent prompts ask students to explain why they identified each passage and to summarize and predict how events will affect characters. In the Phoenix activity, students are asked to describe how the phoenix might serve as a symbol for Esperanza's circumstances or to write a poem that should "serve as an inspiration for Esperanza," which asks them to connect a specific element (the phoenix) to the character's situation and theme.

Students are instructed to reread the section of the chapter that describes the train and to "pay close attention to the description of the train and the people on the train," then choose an activity based on that rereading. Students must produce concrete responses: draw the wealthy car and the poor car (Option 1) or complete Venn diagrams comparing social and political systems using the train scene as context (Option 2). The wrap-up and discussion prompts ask students to explain how quotes and incidents (e.g., Esperanza not wanting the girl to touch her doll, the family's escape) reflect the social system, and the Skills section includes "Discuss and analyze the effects of dialogue on a story."

Students are assigned the chapter "Los Melones" and told to act as a Travel Tracer to "carefully follow where the action is happening," describing where characters move to and from and giving page locations for each scene. They are asked to "describe each setting in detail either in words or in map form" and to "explain what role the setting plays in the conflict of the story." The parent prompts also instruct students to share their map/descriptions and explain the role the setting plays in the conflict.

Students are asked to act as a Literary Luminary by choosing two or three passages from the chapter, reading them aloud, and explaining their reasons for selecting them, which prompts close attention to specific sentences or short sections. Students complete a Comparison Chart that asks them to describe how Esperanza's life at Rancho de las Rosas and life in California are similar and different, directly engaging with setting. Students write a problem-solution paragraph about a problem Esperanza faced and its resolution, which requires them to identify plot problems, explain causes, and articulate solutions within the story's events.

Students are asked to read the chapter "Las Almendras" and take on the role of an Illustrator, drawing a picture related to plot, character, or setting, which requires them to identify key elements of the scene. In the "A Shrine" activity, students must draw and explain the elements of a shrine and what those elements represent about life and identity, asking them to articulate symbolic meaning tied to theme and setting. Parent/guardian discussion questions prompt students to describe specific events (e.g., the rose cutting) and to examine reasons for a character's actions and the agricultural labor context, which engages students with plot events and character motivation.

Students are asked to become a Line Locator by finding three to five lines or short passages, copying them (or recording page/paragraph numbers), and explaining in their journals why each is an example of good writing or important to the story. Students must record at least one thinking question that prompts deeper consideration beyond facts of a passage. In the Cesar Chavez activity, students choose a quote, explain its meaning in their own words, and explicitly relate that quote to Esperanza's story.

Students are assigned to write a four- or five-sentence summary of the chapters, requiring them to identify main events and sequence. Students examine reasons workers might strike and record examples from the book that support each reason, citing page numbers on the "On Strike!" organizer. Students discuss treatment of Mexican immigrants and the actions of strikers, connecting scenes and events to motivations and historical context.

Students are asked to finish the book and "consider how Esperanza's life has changed over the course of the novel and how the changes in her life have changed her as a person," which prompts reflection on character and thematic development. Students read the chapters "Los Duraznos" and "Las Uvas" and take on the role of a Dialogue Designer, recreating interactions that center around events in those chapters, so they work directly with specific scenes. The wrap-up and discussion questions ask students to analyze symbolism (knitting), the significance of the protagonist's name, and social treatment of characters, which engages students in interpreting how elements contribute to theme and setting.

Students are asked to write a movie trailer that highlights main events and includes lines related to major themes like adjusting to a new culture or navigating social class systems, which requires identifying key scenes and their thematic content. Students choose an event from the story, write a readers' theatre script of that event (12–15 lines), and perform it with others, which requires selecting and adapting a particular scene. Students draw the major settings (Set in Mexico and Set in California) and are prompted to reflect on how dramatic interpretation is similar to and different from the original text.

Students are asked to identify the number of stanzas in specific poems and to label end rhyme patterns (Activity 1), which has them analyze poem form and stanza-level structure. Question #2 asks students to describe how the structure of "Tunnels" differs from other poems (noting features like short stanzas and lines), prompting comparison of structural choices. The skills and activities ask students to analyze punctuation, capitalization, sentence structure, line length, rhythm, repetition, and rhyme to recognize how tone or meaning is conveyed, and to compare multiple versions of a poem (Question #4).

Students are asked to find and describe metaphors in the poems (Student Activity Page Section 1) and to record words and phrases that poets attribute to objects as instances of personification (Student Activity Page Section 2). Question 3 asks students to explain why poets focus on obscure animals, prompting consideration of author choices that relate to theme. The Parent Plan explicitly lists the skill "Explain how authors create meaning through stylistic elements and figurative language emphasizing the use of personification," which directs students to connect figurative language to meaning.

Students are asked to identify stanza structure and rhyme patterns (QUESTION #4 asks students to note that "All Day Long" has stanzas in couplets and that the last words rhyme). Students identify rhyme schemes in a poem (QUESTION #2 asks for the rhyming pattern in "Cross-Purposes") and recognize figurative language (QUESTION #3 asks for the metaphor in "The Dandelion"). Students brainstorm ways plants and animals/humans depend on one another (Activity 2), which connects to theme-related ideas about plants and natural systems.

Students are asked to copy parts of poems that contain dashes and explain how or why the dash was used (Option 2, Part II and the Dashes activity). The answer key examples require students to explain that lines after a dash list items, rename or clarify a previous phrase, or interrupt the main thought, which analyzes the function of those lines within the poem. The wrap-up and parent discussion prompts ask students to explain how language makes them feel and what a poem means, which asks students to connect specific lines or wording to the poem's meaning or theme.

Students are asked to identify haikus in the poems and count syllables, which requires recognizing stanza structure (Activity 1). Students are asked to record a line that creates a vivid image and describe the words the author uses, prompting analysis of how a line creates imagery (Question #3). The student activity and parent notes ask students to examine how parentheses are used in some poems and discuss how parentheses change emphasis or meaning in specific lines (Student Activity Page and Answer Key Part II).

The student activity asks learners to count stanzas (Question 1) and to identify poetic devices (Question 2), tone (Question 4), rhythm/rhyme and how it affects tone and meaning (Question 5), and to state the poem's theme (Question 6). The 'Analyzing a Poem' page prompts students to draw an image the poem creates and list words/phrases that create that image, supporting close attention to structure and language.

Students are asked in Activity 2 Part II to choose poems (including an excerpt from "Song of Myself") and explain why each poet might have used an ellipsis, which requires them to analyze how a particular line or excerpt functions in the poem. In Activity 3 Option 2 students use the author's structure and rewrite a poem, prompting them to attend to stanza and overall structural patterns. Question prompts ask students to identify irony and record words and phrases that appeal to emotions, which has students analyze specific lines for tone and thematic effect.

Students are asked to reread specific poems (e.g., "Earth's Bondman") and list words or phrases, describing how those parts convey tone and meaning, which requires analysis of lines and phrases. Students answer a question about the message of "Landscape," identifying what the poet is trying to convey, which connects specific content to theme. Students are prompted to interpret a specific line in "Who Am I?" ("Someone small/but a piece/of/it/all.") and explain its meaning in relation to the natural world. In comparing "Buffalo Dusk" and "The Flower-Fed Buffaloes," students note structural features (e.g., repeated first/last lines) while comparing similarities and differences between poems.

Students read Chapters 1 and 2 and answer comprehension questions about Cusi's interactions, setting, and backstory, which engages them with plot and setting details. Students research and record elements of Incan culture on graphic organizers, connecting cultural context to the story's setting and potential themes. The Ideas to Think About and parent discussion prompts ask students to consider how belief systems, cultural identity, and change influence the present, encouraging thematic reflection. An exercise asks students to read a passage and explain the author's use of the past perfect tense, which requires sentence-level analysis (albeit grammatical).

Students are asked to reread the minstrel's songs in Chapters 3 and 4 before Activity 2, which directs attention to those specific stanzas and their narrative function. The "Writing a Lyric Poem for a Minstrel" organizer asks students to divide a story into 3–4 events to form stanzas, linking stanza structure to events in a narrative. Reading questions require students to infer plot details (e.g., where Chuto might go on his second trip), which asks students to integrate chapter-level information to explain plot.

Students are prompted to read Chapters 5 and 6 and answer comprehension questions that ask them to infer why Cusi says Chuto is troubled and how Cusi feels about the journey (a sentence-based inference tied to plot/character). The lesson begins with a targeted quote—"He [Cusi] was troubled about something..."—and asks students, "What do you think will be in store for Cusi?", which asks students to draw a prediction from a particular sentence. Other questions ask students to describe how the landscape and environment changed as they descended (explicit attention to setting) and why the Indians called their home Condor Kuncca (linking description to setting/meaning).

Students read Chapters 7 and 8 and are asked to consider how Cusi's life and experiences differ from children who do not live in the mountains, connecting setting to character. Questions ask students to explain why Cusi is fascinated (inference about experience and perspective) and to quote Chuto's characterization of the truck on page 47, prompting attention to a specific sentence. Activities require students to reread Chuto's description and to identify and produce personification and figurative language, with a Parent Plan note to reference the text to determine effectiveness of figurative language.

Students are asked to "Reread page 54. How are the Indians in the high Andes dependent on the llamas?", which requires returning to a particular page and extracting how that passage reflects setting and livelihood. Questions about Misti being difficult to train and the stranger Amautu teach students to connect specific scenes to character and plot development. The "Things to Think About" prompts (e.g., How do belief systems of the past influence the present?) invite students to consider thematic connections between text details and larger cultural ideas.

Students answer targeted comprehension questions about Chapters 11 and 12 that require them to identify plot events (what caused Cusi to follow Misti, where Misti led him, and what he found). Students respond to wrapping-up prompts asking what the golden slippers mean and how life in the city would differ from Cusi's world, prompting interpretation of theme and setting. Students practice sequencing and structure by underlining time/sequence transition words in the Aztec Creation Myth and by retelling myths using storytelling techniques.

Students read Chapters 13 and 14 and answer targeted comprehension questions, including one that asks why Cusi felt more alone in the city, which requires explaining how that scene relates to character and setting. The "Questions to Discuss" asks students to explain the meaning of a specific line from an old Indian about rivers of Cuzco hidden beneath cobblestones, prompting students to analyze how a particular sentence conveys the persistence of ancient culture (theme/setting). The activity options ask students to write a poem about the downfall of the Incan empire using figurative language, which requires students to engage with theme and cultural consequences of events in the text.

Students are asked to choose three important events and place them as the beginning, middle, and end of Cusi's story, making sure the events relate to the central idea of the essay. The directions require students to emphasize culture and geography (how the land affects people) and to describe what Cusi learned and how it changed him, tying events to theme and setting. The rubric and activities ask students to revise and "paint" sentences for descriptive effect and to use the organizer to ensure events connect to the thesis and overall message.