Students identify specific words and figurative language in the poems (Question 2 asks them to record three adjectives and the nouns they modify; Question 3 asks them to identify the metaphor in "Kansas Boy"). Students locate and list onomatopoeic words and explain why the author repeats a word and how the poem makes them feel (Onomatopoeia activity). Students identify structural details of poems by naming two quatrain poems and recording their rhyming patterns.

Students analyze two Robert Frost poems by answering specific text-based questions (setting, stanza count, point of view, favorite line and why). Students identify and record action verbs from the poem "dog," citing words directly from the text. Students use a Venn diagram to compare two poems ("Gulls and Buoys" and "dog") with suggested comparison points such as theme, rhyme, stanza length, and use of metaphor, which requires pulling features from the texts.

Students are asked to support answers with text evidence in multiple questions (e.g., "Did Jack write a poem about his dog on p.37… How do you know?" and "Are any of the poems Jack writes in this section narrative poems? How do you know?"). The wrapping-up discussion asks students whether Jack's attitude toward poetry is changing and to explain how they know, prompting students to cite specific details about Jack's behavior (writing more poems, interest in poems). Activities require rereading specific poems and using words/phrases from the text to create images, which asks students to draw on textual details.

Activity 1 directs students to compare Jack's poem "Love That Dog" with Walter Dean Myers's poem "Love That Boy" using a graphic organizer that has spaces for similarities and differences. The Student Activity Page and follow-up Parent Plan provide specific comparison prompts and examples (structure, identical lines, similes, subject, stanza count) that require students to note textual details. Question 3 also asks students to list a metaphor found in the book, prompting attention to specific language in the text.

Students are asked to create plot flowcharts for multiple characters (Noah, Nadia, Ethan, Julian), which requires identifying problems, events, and solutions from the text. The Wrapping Up prompt explicitly asks students to consider how Nadia and Noah are similar and different. The Reading and Questions section asks students to answer comprehension questions using complete sentences and includes a direct quotation from the text for one question, showing practice with locating text details.

Students are asked to finish reading Nadia's story and to "briefly discuss some differences between Nadia's voice and Noah's voice," and Activity 2 directs students to write three things they notice or learn about Nadia once they hear her story in her voice. The Parent Plan lists skills that students should "support his own ideas by citing examples in the text" and "connect, compare, and contrast ideas, themes, and issues across text." Wrapping-up discussion prompts ask students to compare how they see Nadia's father in Nadia's story versus Noah's story.

Students answer focused comprehension questions about characters and relationships (e.g., how Mrs. Olinski and Margaret Draper knew each other; how Ethan described his brother). Students respond to discussion prompts that require justification from the text (e.g., "Did Ethan like Nadia? How do you know?"). Students are asked which character story they enjoyed most and to explain why, which invites comparison of preferences across stories.

Students finish reading the story and answer comprehension questions that require using text details (e.g., identifying how Julian invited guests and what Nadia gave Julian). Students are asked to summarize the first half of Ethan's story and to write a storyline, which requires drawing on events and details from the text. Discussion prompts ask students to describe the relationship between Ethan and Julian and to evaluate whether members of The Souls would make good friends, which asks for analysis of character interactions.

Students complete a Relationships graphic organizer (Activity 3) where they draw lines between characters and write phrases explaining each connection, directly prompting analysis of character relationships. Discussion questions ask students to explain what makes The Souls good friends and how those relationships differ from Knapp's friends, requiring comparison of character interactions. The Parent Plan and Skills list explicitly direct students to analyze characters, their relationships, motivations, and changes, and open-response questions (e.g., whether Julian should have told or given the dog treats) ask students to justify opinions based on the story.

Students list round characters and write three things they know about each, requiring identification of character traits and details from Chapters 5–8. Students list flat characters and describe each one's relationship with a main character, which asks them to analyze interactions and roles. Students write an acrostic poem about The Souls that asks them to reflect on friendships and how characters have changed, reinforcing attention to character development and relationships.

Students are asked in Activity 2 to describe the journey of each member of The Souls and what they found, which requires recounting character development and drawing on text details. Activity 3 asks students to select and justify prizes for each player and the coach based on personality and interests, prompting written explanations that reference character traits. The Skills and Parent Plan sections explicitly direct students to support their ideas by citing examples in the text and to interpret ideas through journal writing and discussion.

Students are asked to identify story types by writing the title of a story beneath each definition (Activity 1), which requires them to recognize and use details from texts to classify genres. In Activity 2, students read a folktale and record five things they learn about the originating culture, extracting information from the story into a journal. In Activity 3, students place story titles on regional maps and add illustrations, using story-origin information to link texts to geographic and cultural contexts.

Students complete character webs for the three main women characters (Bess Call, The Star Maiden, Drop Star) where they record words and phrases that describe each character. After reading each story, students answer text-based questions about character motives and actions (e.g., why Star Maiden left, why Bess was told "That's not ladylike?"). Students create a Venn diagram comparing Johnny Appleseed (the legend) and John Chapman (the real man) using provided research links and then explain their comparisons aloud to a parent.

The Skills section explicitly states students will "Compare and contrast tales from different cultures by tracing the exploits of one character." Students read multiple related stories (Annie Christmas, Susanna and Simon, two Brer Rabbit tales, and Anansi tales) and answer text-based questions (e.g., identify protagonist/antagonist; explain how Brer Rabbit got Brer Fox to gallop). A parent discussion prompt asks students to "Describe the relationship between Brer Rabbit and Brer Fox," which directs students to analyze character interactions.

Students are asked in Activity 6 to read another version of the story of John Henry and "record five ways the two versions of the story are different and three ways they are similar," which requires comparing two texts. The Parent Plan Skills section explicitly lists "Compare and contrast information on the same topic after reading several passages or articles." The Wrapping Up/Things to Review prompt asks students to review themes found in the stories they read, implying cross-text consideration.

Students are asked to compare "Brer Rabbit and the Tar Baby" and "Sister Fox and Brother Coyote" using a provided graphic organizer (Activity 1, Option 1) or by listing at least three similarities and differences in another format (Activity 1, Option 2). Students answer comprehension questions about character motives and interactions (e.g., why Sister Fox can trick Brother Coyote; why Pale-Faced Lightning ran away), which asks them to interpret character actions. Students list ten details the author writes about the Southwest's geography for "Pecos Bill" (Activity 4), which asks them to pull setting details from the text.

Students are asked directly to compare two characters in Question #1 for "Hiiaka": "How are Hiiaka and Pele different from each other?" with an expected answer listing specific character traits and behaviors. The storytelling and retelling activity asks students to "highlight important relationships in the story" and to make sure the "sequence of events in the story [is] correct," which requires referencing events and interactions. Parent discussion prompts also ask students to evaluate characters (e.g., "Do you think Hekeke and Et-tetti were heroes? Why or why not?").

Students are asked in Question #4 to identify where Phillip's family lived before Curacao and to explain how life in Curacao was different for his mother, prompting a direct comparison of two settings. The Wrapping Up section and parent discussion prompt ask students to consider whether they would prefer Virginia or Curacao and why it might be hard to adjust, encouraging students to contrast the two places. Question #5 and the Getting Started prompt ask students to describe the diverse citizens and to think about the people and events on the island, which can lead students to compare aspects of community composition and experiences.

Students read Chapters 3–4 and are asked to record a sentence or two describing both Phillip and Timothy on a side-by-side activity page that is organized by chapters, focusing on each character's feelings, thoughts, and actions toward one another. Multiple student activity pages present two-column comparison charts labeled Philip/Timothy across chapter groupings, and the skills list explicitly includes "Analyze character's thoughts and actions." Questions and prompts ask students to explain characters' motives (e.g., why Timothy refused more water) and to reflect on prejudice and reactions between characters.

Students read Chapters 5 and 6 of The Cay and answer comprehension questions that require retrieval and inference (e.g., identifying the faint drone of an aircraft and explaining what Phillip meant by "His [Timothy's] eyes were becoming mine"). Students are instructed to "write sentences to describe the two main characters" on the "Phillip and Timothy" pages. The Parent Plan also lists the skill of drawing inferences and supporting them with text and experience, and Part C asks students to find sentences from the novel, which requires consulting the text.

Students are asked to "Fill in information from these chapters about both characters on the 'Phillip and Timothy' pages," which requires locating and recording details about each character. The Parent Plan lists skills including "Respond to literature using interpretive and evaluative processes by identifying and examining characters' motives" and "Interact with text by locating relevant information." Discussion questions prompt students to consider how Timothy and Phillip's differences become less important and whether Timothy has been honest, encouraging analysis of characters' actions and interactions.

Students read Chapters 9 and 10 and are asked to write a sentence or two describing Phillip's and Timothy's attitudes and actions. Question #4 asks students to explain how Timothy's childhood was different from Phillip's, and Question #5 asks students to list three practical things Timothy did that Phillip would not know how to do. The wrap-up and discussion prompts ask students to explain how Phillip and Timothy's relationship is changing and to analyze interactions (e.g., why Timothy struck Phillip and how Phillip changed).

Students read Chapters 11–12 of The Cay and fill in information on a "Phillip and Timothy" activity page. Question prompts ask students to explain how Timothy needs Phillip now and how Phillip helped Timothy, and Activity 3 directs students to list ways Timothy has helped Phillip and ways Phillip has helped Timothy. The parent discussion prompts explicitly ask the child to share examples of how the two characters learn from and help one another.

Students are asked to read Chapters 13 and 14 and "write a sentence or two that describe the two characters' feelings and actions toward one another" on a "Phillip and Timothy" activity page. Guided questions prompt students to explain why Timothy taught Phillip to fish, how Phillip felt when he caught his first fish, whether Timothy was nearby, and what Phillip taught Timothy about the island—questions that require students to refer to events and character interactions in the chapters. Activity 2 directs students to write journal entries from Phillip's perspective describing the island and describing Timothy based on words and actions rather than appearance, which has students analyze character through text-based details.

Students are asked to read Chapters 15 and 16 and to fill in a "Phillip and Timothy" activity page, and they are assigned a three-paragraph essay describing how Phillip and Timothy's relationship changed from when they first met to the day Timothy was killed. The Organizing My Ideas pages require students to write topic sentences, supporting details, and concluding sentences for the relationship at the beginning and how it changes, prompting students to cite reasons for changes. The Reading and Questions section also has students pull specific words and phrases from the text (e.g., "splintering sound, driving rain, raging whitecaps"), indicating practice in using textual details.

Students are asked to finish an essay that highlights how Timothy and Phillip's relationship changed over the course of the book, which requires analyzing the characters and their interactions across time. Students are directed to fill in information on a "Phillip and Timothy" activity page and to complete a "Remembering Timothy" task that asks them to illustrate and describe items representing Timothy, prompting reflection on Timothy's actions and role. The "Things to Review" prompt asks students to explain the theme of the book and to support their idea with evidence from the text.

Students answer directed comprehension questions about the final chapter and fill in a "Phillip and Timothy" activity page, requiring them to reference events from the text. Students design a monument and write a short inscription that must reflect Timothy's character, and they write a formal eulogy describing how they and Timothy depended on each other, what they learned from him, and how he changed their life. The Skills list explicitly requires students to "identify and interpret elements of fiction... and support by referencing the text," and the rubric assesses reflection of dependence, lessons and personal changes, and relation to Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream.

The lesson includes an explicit prompt under "Ideas to Think About": "How were the lives of immigrants in the 1800s similar to and different from the lives of people in America today?", which asks students to compare lives across time. Activity 3 directs students to "record details you learn about the time period and about the lives of the immigrants" (The City and the People of New York in 1870), prompting use of textual details. Several comprehension questions (e.g., Dina's impressions of New York; descriptions of Dina's uncle) ask students to note specific details about characters and settings that could be used in comparison.

The lesson includes the prompt "How was life in the states similar to and different from the lives of the immigrants in their native countries?" which asks students to compare settings. Question #1 asks students to state how the weather differed between New York and Germany, requiring a direct comparison of settings. Students are asked to "record a few things you learned about the people and the city" and to list interesting adjectives/strong verbs and sensory words from pages 46–48, which requires drawing specific textual details to support observations.

Students are asked to compare Dina's family in Germany and her family in America by drawing each family and recording two ways they are different and two ways they are alike (Picture Frames). The bubble map activity directs students to make bubbles for each family member and to "think back on each character's actions and words, as well as what other characters have said," and to list character traits, which requires using details from the text. The question set and Parent Plan explicitly list analyzing characters and citing supporting evidence and ask inferential questions (e.g., why Dina calls her uncle "the Uncle"), prompting students to draw on textual details.

Students sort statements about immigrants into "Expectations" and "Realities," cutting and categorizing ideas on the "Expectations versus Reality of Immigration" activity, which asks them to compare two sets of ideas. Students answer directed comprehension questions about character actions and reactions (e.g., how Barbara responded to Dina and why), which require them to analyze character behavior. The Parent Plan explicitly lists the skill "Compare text events with personal and other readers' experiences," indicating an intended comparison focus tied to the chapters read.

Activity 3 asks students to make a list of reasons for Dina to stay in New York and a list of reasons for her to go back to Germany and then decide which is best. The Parent Plan Skills list explicitly names "Analyze characters' motivations" and "Draw conclusions and support them with text evidence." Students are also asked to record things they learned about the people and the city on the provided pages and to answer specific comprehension questions about events and character actions.

Students are prompted to analyze characters and their actions in the Skills section and answer targeted questions about Dina and Uncle (e.g., how Uncle's mood changed, why Dina decided to stay), which require use of plot details. The Student Activity Page asks students to record "characters and location" and "development of the characters," and Activity 1 and Activity 3 ask students to describe Dina's future and create book jackets that include character and setting information. The Special Notes explicitly asks students to discuss how other characters' experiences are similar and different from Dina's, prompting comparison of experiences.

Students are prompted to compare Dina and her uncle using a Venn diagram (Square 5), which asks them to identify similarities and differences between two characters. Students are asked to write three sentences describing how Dina's life in America was different from her life in Germany and to illustrate Dina's homes in both countries using the author's descriptions, requiring use of text details. The project directs students to reread the author's descriptions and to take notes on important information and vivid words and phrases from the text. Rubric criteria require accurate information and demonstration of understanding of the story, linking student responses to textual content.

Students are asked to think about why Bando called Sam "Thoreau" and to answer the wrapping-up question "How are Sam and Henry David Thoreau similar?", prompting a direct comparison between two figures. Reading questions ask students to describe characters (e.g., "How would you describe the Baron?" and "What did Sam think about Bando at first? Who was Bando?"), which requires character analysis. Students are also asked to summarize the section they read, which supports making comparisons based on the text.

Students are asked to read specific pages (86–106) and generate one example of each question type (In the Text, Think and Search, Reader and Author, On My Own), which asks them to analyze and infer from the text. The parent skills list explicitly expects students to "support judgments through references to both the text and prior knowledge," indicating students will practice citing textual evidence. The RAFT activity asks students to research and present about the falcon (a character/organism mentioned in the text) and describe its interactions with other organisms, encouraging use of text details alongside research.

Students are asked to answer Question #1 asking how Sam has changed since his wilderness adventure, which prompts analysis of character development over time. The Think-Tac-Toe activities include #5 (A Special Friendship) where students discuss Sam's friendships with animals and people and describe significance, and #6 (Different Setting) where students create a plot diagram in a different environment and describe challenges, engaging students with setting and events. Several comprehension questions (e.g., Q2–Q4) require recall of specific details from the text, indicating attention to textual details.

Students read the first two chapters of The Witch of Blackbird Pond and answer direct comprehension questions (e.g., where Kit grew up, why she was going to Connecticut, what happened when she jumped in the water), requiring them to draw facts from the text. The lesson lists the skill "Draw facts from a source of information" and asks students to use vocabulary words in sentences about the first two chapters, which requires connecting word meaning to text details. Discussion prompts ask students to describe a character ("How would you describe John Holbrook?") and to consider cultural differences (e.g., whether Kit would have jumped in the water knowing how others would respond).

Students read Chapters 3 and 4 and answer comprehension questions that require attention to character actions and interactions (e.g., how Kit was welcomed; Mr. Wood's reaction to the clothing; Mercy's physical condition). Students create paintings of the Connecticut coast and are prompted to describe similarities and differences between Connecticut and Barbados. Students complete a "Barbados vs. Connecticut" comparison chart that asks them to sort specific details (climate, crops, slavery, clothing, religious beliefs) and are instructed to take notes from provided texts and web links to support that work.

Students answer direct comprehension questions about how Kit feels at the Meeting House (identifying that people stare and whisper) and summarize the argument between Reverend Bulkeley and Matthew Wood (loyalty to the king vs. free government). Students are prompted to describe why the Puritans were not accepting of Kit and to compare a map of Colonial Connecticut with a modern map, connecting setting and daily life. Students write personal narratives that connect their own experiences of embarrassment or anxiety to Kit's experience, using descriptive language and context.

Students are directly asked to describe the differences between Mercy and Judith in the Introducing the Lesson prompt, which asks for a comparison of two characters. The Skills section lists "Analyze characters and their conflicts" and "Support judgments about the text using references to the text and prior knowledge," indicating students should use the reading to form comparisons. Activity 2 asks students to list three reasons a colonist might be a Royalist and three reasons for a free government and provides a two-column Student Activity Page labeled "Royalist" and "Free Government," prompting a side-by-side comparison.

Students are asked to read Chapter 9 and answer questions, including QUESTION #1: "What was the difference between Mercy's and Kit's teaching styles?", which asks them to compare two characters. Option 1 asks students to find a story and plan/assign parts and discuss how the story should be acted out, requiring attention to character actions and interactions. The discussion prompts (e.g., whether Reverend Woodbridge and Mr. Kimberly should have been upset) invite students to refer back to events and characters in the text.

Students complete a Venn diagram comparing Quaker and Puritan beliefs after reading an informational passage about the Quaker faith. Students record discoveries about the community, the Woods family, and Kit herself on a three-column chart. The Parent Plan and Skills sections explicitly prompt compare-and-contrast work and discussion about which discoveries are most important and how discoveries changed Kit.

Activity 2 asks students to identify a metaphor that compares Kit to a tropical Jamaican bird and to list three ways Kit's time in Wethersfield parallels the bird's hypothetical experience, prompting students to justify whether the comparison is effective. The Student Activity Page requires students to compare two things and to provide reasons, and the written comprehension questions (e.g., Q2 and Q4) ask students to explain meanings and motivations using events from the chapters.

Students answer targeted comprehension questions about characters and events (e.g., why Nat was upset, how William's position changed) that require referencing text details. Students make a list of the community's complaints in Activity 2, drawing on events from Chapter 15. Students discuss Uncle Matthew's feelings and review reasons the men of Connecticut were upset, which asks them to reference textual causes and reactions.

The lesson asks students to answer comprehension questions that require referring to text details (e.g., Question 4 asks how Prudence changed since meetings with Hannah and Kit). The 'Ideas to Think About' prompt asks how human relationships change as people discover more about one another, and parent discussion prompts invite students to explain characters' feelings (e.g., Kit's reaction to Nat in the stocks; Judith vs. Mercy's responses to John leaving). The Student Activity Page includes excerpts with space for written reflections tied to character actions and events.

The Parent Plan lists the skill "Cite textual evidence to support analysis," and the On Trial activity asks students to make three arguments defending Kit and to "Provide support to defend each argument," which requires using details from the text. Several comprehension questions (e.g., Why William Ashby does not come to Kit's trial?; Do you think Kit should have tried harder to change?) prompt students to analyze characters and justify their answers. The Wrapping Up and Things to Review sections ask students to think about what happened to characters and what lessons the author wants readers to gain, encouraging reflection on character development.

Students are asked to complete a "Before & After" worksheet in which they write three statements from Hugo's perspective describing life before his father died and what it is like after, directly prompting comparison of two states/events. The parent notes list specific text details students may include (e.g., school attendance, living in a house vs. living at the train station, working and stealing), indicating students draw on story facts. The reading comprehension questions require students to identify concrete details from the chapters (e.g., what Hugo pulled from the wall, what it was designed to do), which practices locating textual information.

Students are asked to read or listen to the original Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale and then compare it to a different version or a movie. Students complete a "Two Versions" graphic organizer that explicitly prompts comparison of Characters, Setting, Events, Message/Moral, and Mood/Tone. Multiple Student Activity Pages provide the original text excerpts for students to reference as they analyze similarities and differences.

The lesson includes a guided discussion question that asks, "In what ways are Hugo and Isabelle alike?" and even supplies an example response ("Both are stubborn and very clever"). The lesson also asks students to "Review the important events that occurred in Part 1 of the book," which invites comparing events or characters across the part. Several comprehension questions require students to recall specific plot details that could support comparisons.

Students are asked to "Look over the information you collected about Georges Méliès. How is the information in the story similar to and different from the information you found about Georges Méliès?", which directs students to compare the fictional portrayal with researched facts. The lesson asks students to read specific chapters and answer detail-focused questions (e.g., what was found in the box; why Hugo went to the Film Academy), requiring them to extract textual details. Activity 2 has students research Méliès, take note cards of facts, and organize them chronologically to support the comparison.

Activity 6, "Two Thieves?," directs students to compare Hugo and Prometheus through specific questions (e.g., Hugo's reasons for stealing; ways Hugo relates to Prometheus; punishments both suffered). The Parent Plan Skills list explicitly includes "Connect, compare, and contrast ideas, themes, and issues across text," and discussion prompts ask students to explain how Hugo and Isabelle interact and why characters act as they do. Activity 4 asks students to retell the Prometheus myth, providing a second text for cross-text comparison.

Activity 3 (Discoveries) asks students to describe a discovery for each main character (Papa Georges, Isabelle, Hugo) and explain how that discovery changed the character's life, using lined boxes for written responses. The reading questions require students to recall specific plot details (e.g., what Hugo discovered about his uncle, how Hugo was saved), which asks students to draw on textual events. The parent prompts ask the child which character he liked best and why and to explain casting choices and a written synopsis for a movie adaptation, encouraging students to use character information from the text.

Students are prompted to analyze characters' traits and points of view (Skills list) and to examine reasons for characters' actions. In Activity 2 students pick a character, collect five items that represent that character, and explain why each item was chosen, including one tied to survival and one tied to change. The Reading and Questions section asks students to create Think-and-Search and Reader-and-Author questions that require analyzing the text and combining personal knowledge with textual information.

Students are asked directly to compare two characters in Question #4: "How was Lizzie different from Lucy?" The discussion prompts ask students to explain Lucy's feelings about Cora and Butte, which requires analyzing character interactions and emotions. The Parent Plan also prompts students to summarize chapters they read, supporting comparison by recalling events and character actions.

Students answer specific comprehension questions that require recalling details from Chapters 15–16 (e.g., how Brother Clyde reminded Lucy of her father; what happened to Lucky Diggins). Students are asked to name and explain a favorite character and to discuss likes and dislikes about the book, prompting character-based explanation. Students create a Venn diagram or write sentences comparing their personality/mannerisms today with how they might have been in the West in 1849, and they respond to a question about whether Lucy's personality would suit that time period.

Students are asked to choose three characters, draw them, and write three words or phrases that describe each character based on information in the novel (Activity 1 and Parent Plan Option 1). An alternative option asks students to record physical appearance, a personality trait, a quote, and other characters' reactions for three characters, which directs students to gather specific textual details (Parent Plan Option 2). The Survival & Seasons activity has students record two or three threats for each season, prompting students to organize details about events across different settings/times, and discussion prompts ask students to justify opinions (e.g., "How do you know?").

Students are asked to compare characters directly when they answer Question #2 ("How were Meg and her mom different from each other?"). Students analyze character traits in Question #3 by explaining what makes Charles Wallace unusual. Students are instructed to "fill in evidence from the book" on the Elements of Science Fiction chart, which requires recording text-based support as they read.

Students complete a "Characterizing Meg" graphic organizer in which they write three character traits for Meg and provide three examples or pieces of evidence from the book to support each trait. Students answer guided reading questions (e.g., why Meg is doing poorly in school, why Calvin went to the haunted house) that require them to refer to events and character motivations in Chapter 2. Parents are prompted to ask students to explain the traits and evidence they found in the book, reinforcing use of textual details.

Students read Chapter 3 and answer comprehension questions that require character analysis (e.g., QUESTION #4 asks for the function of each family member in Meg's family). Students are asked to predict who Mrs. Whatsit is and why she has come to Meg's family, prompting reasoning about a character. Students also work with quoted passages from the novel when completing the verb-form exercises, exposing them to specific textual details.

Students are asked to identify and discuss the protagonist(s) in A Wrinkle in Time and to record a chosen protagonist on a Story Map that includes boxes for protagonists, antagonists, setting, problem, and solution. The Protagonist pages prompt students to describe a protagonist's mission, list three obstacles, and explain how the protagonist accomplishes the mission. Reading-and-Questions items require students to recall specific events and character actions (e.g., where the children appeared, Mrs. Whatsit's form, what 'tesser' means).

Students are asked to reread Chapter 5 and answer comprehension questions about tessering and the Dark Thing, requiring attention to text details. A direct discussion prompt asks students to consider "How are Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which different from one another?" and "What do you think about Charles Wallace's attitude toward Mrs. Who, Mrs. Whatsit, and Mrs. Which?", which asks students to compare characters and consider their interactions. The Activity 2 prompt asks students to reread Mrs. Whatsit's description of dimensions and explain the theory in their journal, which requires drawing on specific passages.

Students answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., What did the children learn about Mrs. Whatsit? What talismans did Mrs. Whatsit give the children?), which requires retrieving details from Chapter 6. The introduction prompts students to explain how the characters are "growing and changing," asking for analysis of character development over the course of the story. The antagonist activity asks students to describe an antagonist's looks, behavior, thoughts, and three ways the antagonist will try to harm the protagonist, which practices character analysis and use of story details.

Students answer specific comprehension questions about characters' feelings and actions (e.g., how Charles Wallace felt in the machine room, why he couldn't taste the food, and why he kicked the man). Students write and circle transitional words in a chapter summary and are instructed to write summaries that contain main ideas and significant details. The Life Application and discussion prompts ask students to recall other books or movies where an antagonist used kindness to trick a protagonist, encouraging cross-text connections.

Students are asked to read Chapters 8 and 9 and "look for clues that lead you to believe it is not the 'real' Charles Wallace," which prompts them to gather textual evidence about a character's change. Students answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., what Charles Wallace says, where Meg's father is found, what the Thing is) that require recalling details from the text. The skills section directs students to "offer observations, make connections, react, speculate, and interpret in response to text," supporting evidence-based analysis.

Students are asked to provide evidence from the story to support a theme using a graphic organizer that has labeled boxes for characters' actions or words, author's descriptions, and story events. The reading questions require students to describe the beasts' appearance and explain how the beasts helped Meg, which asks for specific textual details. A discussion prompt asks students to explain how the beasts' communication was different from human communication, which asks students to compare two modes of interaction.

Students read Chapter 12 and answer targeted questions about motives and relationships (e.g., why Meg had to go, why Mrs. Whatsit would not allow others to return for Charles Wallace, what Meg had that IT did not). The Parent Plan explicitly lists that students will "analyze characters, including their traits, motivations, conflicts, relationships, and the changes they undergo." Teachers/parents are prompted to ask students which character they most identify with and why, and to explain how Meg was able to rescue Charles Wallace.

Students read Chapter 3, "Law and Politics," and answer comprehension questions about characters and political relationships (e.g., identifying Stephen A. Douglas and how Mary's family felt about Lincoln). A parent-directed discussion question explicitly asks, "How were Lincoln and Mary different from each other?", prompting comparison of two characters. The lesson asks students to record information (e.g., Venn diagram for governments) and to respond to text-based questions that reference character interactions and viewpoints.

Students read Chapter 4, "Half Slave and Half Free," and answer targeted comprehension questions that require use of text details. Question 3 explicitly asks how Stephen A. Douglas's views on slavery differed from Lincoln's, prompting students to compare two historical figures and cite specific differences. Questions 1 and 2 require students to draw on textual information to explain Lincoln's fears about forced abolition and to summarize the Dred Scott case.

Students are asked to create a Venn diagram comparing the lives of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass (Activity 6), using information they gathered on note cards from two texts (Activity 4). Students record important events from A Picture Book of Frederick Douglass and Lincoln: A Photobiography on note cards and then synthesize that information in a biopoem and comparison activity (Activities 4 and 5). Students also identify and copy key sentences from the Emancipation Proclamation and write quotations or sentences under hat flaps that link character traits to specific events (Activity 1 and the Stovepipe Hat activity).