2. KEY IDEA Think of what you most cherish, or hold dear
KEY IDEA Think of what you most cherish, or hold dear. Is it worth a lot of money, or is it valuable because of a memory that is important only to you? For example, a photograph of a favorite friend or relative wouldn’t bring much money at an auction, but the memories it holds might make it one of the first things you’d save if your home were on fire. In “The Treasure of Lemon Brown,” a boy’s encounter with an old blues musician helps him discover what he treasures most.

3. Before Reading
Do Now:
Write a paragraph about one thing you truly cherish or treasure. Describe what it is that you cherish and what makes it such a treasure to you. Why is it so important to you? Why would others not see it as having the value it has to you?

4. During Reading
Comprehension
1. RECALL How does Greg meet Lemon Brown?
Greg seeks shelter from the rain in an abandoned building where Lemon Brown is living.
2. RECALL How does Lemon Brown scare off the intruders?
Lemon Brown throws himself down the stairs at the intruders.
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5. Comprehension continued
During Reading
Comprehension continued
3. CLARIFY Why does Lemon Brown cherish his treasure?
Lemon Brown’s harmonica and newspaper clippings remind him of his son, who died while carrying this treasure. They also remind him of his life as a blues musician.
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6. After Reading
Literary Analysis
EXAMINE THIRD-PERSON LIMITED POINT OF VIEW Whose sights, thoughts, and feelings does the narrator present?
The narrator presents Greg’s sights, thoughts, and feelings.
Explain how the story might be different if readers knew more about the thoughts of the other characters.
If readers knew the thoughts of the other characters, they would have more insight about their motives and attitudes.
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7. Literary Analysis continued
After Reading
Literary Analysis continued
5. UNDERSTAND EVENTS How do Greg’s feelings toward Lemon Brown change over time? In the graphic below, note important events from the story. Across from each event, tell how Greg feels about Lemon Brown at that point.
Greg feels:
1. Bored
2. scared.
3. terrified, concerned.
4. doesn’t understand.
5. Respects him & his father.
1. Greg hears Lemon Brown’s life story
2. Thugs enter the building
3. Lemon Brown confronts the thugs and throws himself down the stairs.
4. Greg sees the treasure.
5. Greg says good-bye to Lemon Brown.
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8. Literary Analysis continued
After Reading
Literary Analysis continued
6. MAKE INFERENCES Review the inferences you noted in your chart. How do you think Lemon Brown’s life story helps Greg see his relationship with his father in a new way?
Greg learns that it is important to fathers to pass on their values and an idea of where they “come from.” Instead of being annoyed by his father’s lectures, Greg now values his father’s concern and advice.
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9. Literary Analysis continued
After Reading
Literary Analysis continued
7. ANALYZE DIALECT One way writers create realistic characters is to include the characters’ dialect, the language spoken by people in a particular place or group. Dialect can include unique uses for words and nonstandard grammar. Find three examples of Lemon Brown’s dialect. Explain how his language contributes to your understanding of his character.
Examples of dialect: “You ain’t one of them” (line 100); “There it be” (line 235); “you sure don’t know nothing” (lines 261–262). Lemon’s dialect suggests that he probably had little formal schooling. This may help to explain why he fell on “hard times” later in life (line 119).
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10. Literary Analysis continued
After Reading
Literary Analysis continued
8. DRAW CONCLUSIONS ABOUT CHARACTERS In fiction, a character may be either static or dynamic. Static characters experience little change over the course of a story. Dynamic characters change and grow during a story. Which characters in this story are static? Which are dynamic? Explain.
GREG’S FATHER
LEMON BROWN
GREG
THUGS
Greg’s father, Lemon Brown, and the thugs are all static because none of them change or grow during the story. The only dynamic character is Greg, who changes his ideas about his father.
Static
Dynamic
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11. Extension and Challenge
After Reading
Extension and Challenge
9. READERS’ CIRCLE Walter Dean Myers believes it is important for young people to have role models. Discuss with a small group of classmates what makes a good role model and in what ways Lemon Brown is a role model for Greg.
Students’ definitions of a good role model may vary. They may say that Lemon Brown is a role model for Greg in displaying wisdom, courage, and love.
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12. Extension and Challenge continued
After Reading
Extension and Challenge continued
10. INQUIRY AND RESEARCH Lemon Brown describes singing the blues as “singing about how hard you got it.” Research the blues and find some representative songs. Is Lemon Brown’s description of the blues accurate? Play parts of the songs for the class and talk about the kind of life the songs suggest.
Students will likely say that Lemon Brown’s description of the blues is accurate. Song selections should highlight difficulties people have experienced.