By: Elizabeth McCracken “Mercedes Kane” By: Elizabeth McCracken

Quick Write! Choose ONE prompt to respond to in your journal. PRE-READING Quick Write! Choose ONE prompt to respond to in your journal. What might be some of the positive aspects about being a child prodigy? (child with exceptional talents) What might be some negative aspects? If you could be only one or the other, would you choose to be extremely attractive or extremely intelligent? Which do you think our society values more?

Vocabulary Write down the following words. - prodigies - dubious - antagonistically - ambitious - impetuous - silhouette As you see them in the story, determine their meaning based on the context. Be ready to share! 

FIRST READING LISTEN to the text as you follow along in your book. Place a post-it in your book where you have a question. Write your question on your post-it.

NEXT: CATEGORIZE YOUR QUESTIONS! 1. Go back to your post-it question/s. Code as follows: F= Factual B=Background E=Evaluative S=Speculative I=Interpretive USE YOUR BOOK OR YOUR NOTES IF YOU NEED A REFRESHER ON THESE QUESTION TYPES!

WRITE! 1. The question I asked that interests me the most is… 2. The question someone else asked that interests me the most is…

SECOND READING While re-reading the text, use the different-colored sticky notes to identify the following: YELLOW= A character REVEALS something about herself. PINK= A character HIDES something about herself. When finished, be prepared to share a brief description of that plot event and the page #

SHARED INQUIRY DISCUSSION: Write. Then discuss! FOCUS QUESTION: Why does Mercedes insist she’s not Mercedes Kane, the child prodigy?

Questions 1. Why does Mercedes tell the story about her father saying that Edith was a pretty girl? 2. Why does Mercedes look “terrified” when Ruthies says, “We all know you’re a genius?” (p. 126) 3. Why does Mercedes retype Ruthie’s report? 4. Why does Mercedes leave and never return to Ruthie and her mother’s house? 5. Why does Ruthie say that her mother bringing Mercedes home was “an astounding thing to do?” (p. 115)

Questions 6. Why does Ruthie say that her mother loves her with a “careful affection: regimented, proper?” (p. 121) 7. Why does Ruthie do a “cruel impression” of Mercedes by saying “Mmmm,… That’s a lie?” (p. 127) 8. Why does Ruthie cry when she replays the conversation between herself and Mercedes?

Vocabulary Practice Create a story with the following vocabulary words. - prodigies (people, especially a young one, endowed with exceptional qualities/abilities) - dubious (hesitating/doubting; not to be relied on) - antagonistically (hostile; unfriendly) - ambitious (having/showing a strong desire and determination to succeed) - impetuous (acting or done quickly & without care) - silhouette (shadow; dark shape or outline of something) The story must have a concrete beginning, middle, and end. It must be at least one-page in length.