Study Guide

Know Your Characters! See how many of these multiple choice questions you know! 1. Which character has to move away from Kentucky because his wife’s memory is haunting him? A. Ben B. Sal’s Father C. Mr. Birkway

Know Your Characters! 2. Which character survived a terrible bus accident? A. Mrs. Cadaver B. Sal C. Sal’s Mother

Know Your Characters! 3. Which character draws pictures and visits his mother in the hospital? A. Gramps B. Mr. Winterbottom C. Ben

Know Your Characters! 4. Which character leaves her family to get to know her long lost son? A. Mrs. Cadaver B. Mrs. Winterbottom C. Gram

Know Your Characters! 5. Which character gets bitten by a snake and has a stroke? A. Gramps B. Mrs. Winterbottom C. Gram

Know Your Characters! 6. Which character travels across country after she loses her baby? A. Sal’s mother B. Phoebe C. Mrs. Cadaver

Know Your Characters! 7. Which character goes to see the police after her mother disappears? A. Sal B. Phoebe C. Mrs. Partridge

Know Your Characters! 8. Which character takes a trip with his or her grandparents across the country? A. Ben B. Phoebe C. Sal

Know Your Characters! 9. Which character adopts a dog after his wife passes away? A. Sal’s Father B. Gramps C. Mr. Birkway

Know Your Characters! 10. Which character teaches poetry an asks his class to keep journals? A. Mr. Birkway B. Mr. Winterbottom C. Mr. Cadaver

Know Your Characters! Check your answers! 1. B6. A 2. A7. B 3. C8. C 4. B9. B 5. C10. A

1 st Message (Chapter 9) “Don’t judge a man until you’ve walked two moons in his moccasins.” Write in your own words what the message means to you.

2 nd Message (Chapter 11) “Everyone has his own agenda.” Write in your own words what the message means to you.

3 rd Message (Chapter 17) “In a course of a lifetime, what does it matter?” Write in your own words what the message means to you.

4 th Message (Chapter 25) “You can’t keep the birds of sadness from flying over your head, but you can keep them from nesting in your hair.” Write in your own words what the message means to you.

5 th Message (Chapter 31) “Your never know the worth of water until the well is dry.” Write in your own words what the message means to you.

Main Idea Read the following paragraphs. Then read the four sentences below each paragraph. Choose the sentence that best states the main idea of the paragraph. Then neatly copy that sentence on the line provided. Sal thought Mr. Birkway was a little strange. He was a very energetic teacher. He danced up and down the aisles, waving his arms and praising the students. He acted as if his whole purpose in life was to be in the classroom. Mr. Birkway was weird. Mr. Birkway loved to dance. Mr. Birkway loved to teach. Mr. Birkway wanted to be one of the students.

Main Idea Phoebe’s mother was getting ready to run errands, and her father was going golfing. Mrs. Winterbottom left a list of where she would be at all times in case Phoebe and Sal needed her. She told the girls to call the police and Mrs. Cadaver if they heard any strange noises. The Winterbottom's were busy people. Mrs. Winterbottom was worried about the girls staying alone. Mrs. Winterbottom liked to make lists. Phoebe and Sal didn’t know what to do in an emergency.

Main Idea Sal’s father acted differently at home than he did at Margaret’s. At home, he would stare at photo albums and pictures of Sal’s mother. He seemed very sad. But at Margaret’s, he smiled and even laughed. Sal’s father was a moody person Sal’s father didn’t like looking at pictures. Margaret made Sal’s father forget his loneliness. Margaret teased Sal’s father.

Main Idea It was hot driving through South Dakota. When Gramps came near the Missouri River, he pulled off the road and parked the car in the shade. Gramps and Gram waded into the water and began splashing each other. Gramps and Gram went to the river to cool off. Gramps and Gram were acting childish. South Dakota is a hot state. The car was overheated.

Context Clues Read the following sentences. Three meanings are given for each italicized word. Use the context of the sentence to figure out which meaning is correct. Example: Phoebe said Sal’s father shouldn’t go to Margaret’s, and Sal agreed with the notion. ideaerrormisconception 1. Mr. Birkway leaped around the room dramatically, patting people on the back and waving his arms. seriouslyenthusiasticallyslowly 2. Christy and Megan frowned and cast malevolent looks at Mary Lou. nastyfriendlyboyish

Context Clues 3. Phoebe’s facial expressions indicated that she was not pleased with Mr. Birkway. showed saidheard 4. Mr. Birkway snatched a journal from each student’s desk and added it to the stack in his arms threw grabbed pushed 5. Mr. Birkway said that Sal didn’t have a journal because she was deprived of the opportunity to write on like everyone else. giventakendenied

Context Clues 6. Phoebe wondered who had sent the anonymous notes. monogrammedunsignedengraved 7. Phoebe thought Mrs. Cadaver didn’t want anyone to know where her husband was buried, so she disguised the spot with the rhododendron bush. markedhidcostumed

Context Clues 8. Gramps turned off the main road and took a detour to the Missouri River. alternate routebusjaunt 9. Only a small part of the embedded stone stuck out of the knothole. sleepingfallingburied 10. Gram flailed at the water with her arms after she was bitten by the snake. helpedbeatyelled

Cause and Effect Determining Cause and Effect Chapters To determine a cause, ask “What is the reason?” To determine an effect, ask “What is the result?” Match the causes and effects below. Write the number of the cause in front of its causes.

Cause and Effect Cause Effect 1. Gram wanted to stay over night in Gramps wanted to wait a few the hospital. days to call Sal’s father. 2. The hospital staff thought Gram Gramps offered to get Sal a motel was being ornery. room. 3. A phone call would worry Sal’sGramps placed the sleeping bags father.under the tree. 4. Sal heard a bird singing in a Gram was released from the nearby tree.hospital. 5. Sal had not wanted to leave theSal remembered the singing tree singing tree.back home.

Cause and Effect CauseEffect 6. Phoebe found a sealed envelopeSal’s father was uncomfortable on the front steps.wearing suits. 7. Sal’s father liked to wear flannel Sal’s mother left a letter for Sal. shirts and faded jeans. 8. Sal’s father had repaired every inchSal’s father would never sell their of their car.old car. 9. Sal’s father was a good man.Mrs. Winterbottom opened the envelope and read the message. 10. It would have been painful forSal’s father brought gifts to people. Sal’s mother to say good-bye in person.